The Way to Philadelphia
That night I became very feverish, and stayed in bed drinking plenty of cold, fresh water. The next morning I felt better, and I continued my journey on foot. I had been told I would find boats at Burlington - fifty miles away – that would carry me the rest of the way to Philadelphia. It rained very hard all day and when I stopped at a small hotel that first night, I was beginning to wish I had never left home. I proceeded, however, and on the third day reached Burlington. Walking in the evening by the side of the river. I found a boat with several people in it that was going toward Philadelphia. They took me in, and, as there was no wind, we rowed all the way.
We arrived at Philadelphia about eight or nine o’clock the following morning and landed at the Market Street pier. All the money I had was one Dutch dollar and some small coins. I gave the coins to the owner of the boat, who at first refused to take it because of my rowing; but I insisted. A man is sometimes more generous when he has but a little money than when he has plenty, perhaps through fear of bearing thought to have but little.
I was in my working clothes; my best clothes were supposed to arrive at a later time by sea. I was dirty from my journey, my pocket filled with shirts and stockings, and I knew no one nor where to look for a room. I was exhausted from traveling, rowing, and lack of sleep and I was very hungry, I walked up the street, looking at many clean-dressed people till near the Markethouse I met a boy with bread. I had many a meal on bread, and asking where he got it. I went immediately to the shop on Second Street and bought three great puffy rolls. Having no room in my pockets I walked off with a roll under each arm, eating the third.
Thus I went up Market Street, passing by the door of Mr. Reed, my future wife’s father when she, standing at the door, saw me and thought I made, as I certainly did, a most awkward, foolish appearance.
Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston in 1706. After an apprenticeship as a printer, he left Boston when he was seventeen years old and went to Philadelphia to seek his independence and fortune. The selection which follows, taken from his Autobiography, tells of his arrival in this city.
During his lifetime, Franklin was a printer, inventor, author, statesman, and diplomat. He first became world famous because of his experiments in electricity.
As an author his famous book was his unfinished Autobiography. He played many important roles during the time of the American Revolution; he was an extremely able diplomat, and he was one of the five men chosen to write the Declaration of Independence. He was active in government until his death in 1790.
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