But the lad's uncle, Thomas Hancock, a prosperous merchant of Boston, took
quite an interest in young John. And it occurred to him to adopt the
fatherless boy, legally, as his own. The mother demurred, but after some
months decided that it was best so, for when twenty-one he would be her
boy just as much and as truly as if his uncle had not adopted him. And so
the rich uncle took him, and rigged him out with a deal finer clothing
than he had ever before worn, and sent him to the Latin School and
afterward over to Cambridge, with silver jingling in his pocket.

Prosperity is a severe handicap to youth; not very many grown men can
stand it; but beyond a needless display of velvet coats and frilled
shirts, the young man stood the test, and got through Harvard. In point of
scholarship he did not stand so high as John Adams; and between the lads
there grew a small but well-defined gulf, as is but natural between
homespun and broadcloth. Still the gulf was not impassable, for over it
friendly favors were occasionally passed.

John Hancock's mother wanted him to be a preacher, but Uncle Thomas would
not listen to it--the youth must be taught to be a merchant, so he could
be the ready helper and then the successor of his foster-father.

Graduating at the early age of seventeen, John Hancock at once went to
work in his uncle's counting-house in Boston. He was a fine, tall fellow
with dash and spirit, and seemed to show considerable aptitude for the
work. The business prospered, and Uncle Thomas was very proud of his
handsome ward, who was quite in demand at parties and balls and in a
general social way, while the uncle could not dance a minuet to save him.

Not needing the young man very badly around the store, the uncle sent him
to Europe to complete his education by travel. He went with the retiring