position in life and those of the great man about whom he was
reading, and this made the biography the more fascinating. The
hope came to him that, by following Franklin's example, he, too,
might become a successful man.

His mother, looking up at intervals from the stockings which had
been so repeatedly darned that the original texture was almost
wholly lost of sight of, noticed how absorbed he was.

"Is your book interesting, Harry?" she asked.

"It's the most interesting book I ever read," said Harry, with a
sigh of intense enjoyment.

"It's about Benjamin Franklin, isn't it?"

"Yes. Do you know, mother, he was a poor boy, and he worked his
way up?"

"Yes, I have heard so, but I never read his life."

"You'd better read this when I have finished it. I've been thinking
that there's a chance for me, mother."

"A chance to do what?"

"A chance to be somebody when I get bigger. I'm poor now, but so
was Franklin. He worked hard, and tried to learn all he could.
That's the way he succeeded. I'm going to do the same."