Page:Works of the Late Doctor Benjamin Franklin (1793).djvu/78

68 I ſhould have been equally aſhamed myſelf a meeting Miſs Read, had not her family, juſtly deſpairing of my return after reading my letter, adviſed her to give me up, and marry a potter, of the name of Rogers; to which ſhe conſented: but he never made her happy, and ſhe ſoon ſeparated from him, refuſing to cohabit with him or even bear his name, on account of a report which prevailed, of his having another wife. His ſkill in his profeſſion had ſeduced Miſs Read's parents; but he was as bad a ſubject as he was excellent as a workman. He involved himſelf in debt, and fled, in the year 1727 or 1728, to the Weſt Indies, where he died.

During my abſence Keimer had taken a more conſiderable houſe, in which he kept a ſhop, that was well ſupplied with paper, and various other articles. He had procured ſome new types, and a number of workmen; among whom, however, there was not one who was good for any thing; and he appeared not to want buſineſs.

Mr. Denham took a warehouſe in Water-ſtreet, where we exhibited our commodities. I applied myſelf cloſely, ſtudied accounts, and became in a ſhort time very expert in trade. We lodged and eat together. He was ſincerely attached to me, and acted towards me as if he had been my father. On my ſide, I reſpected and loved him. My ſituation was happy; but it was a happineſs of no long duration.

Early in February 1727, when I entered into my twenty-ſecond year, we were both taken ill. I was attacked with a pleuriſy, which had nearly carried me off; I ſuffered terribly, and conſidered it as all over with me. I felt indeed a ſort of disappointment when I found myſelf likely to recover, and regretted that I had ſtill to experience, ſooner or later, the ſame diſagreeable ſcene again.