Young Benjamin Franklin, by Nathaniel Hawthorne -- A Hard Word -- A Song, by James Whitcomb Riley -- The Journey of Life. An Allegory -- What I live for -- Try Again!, by Charlotte Elizabeth -- True Manliness -- The Miller of the Dee, by Charles Mackay -- and many more!
rades, while they were standing in the quagmire.
"So it is," said the other boys. "What a pity we have no better place to stand on!"
On the dry land, not far from the quagmire, there were at that time a great many large stones that had been brought there to be used in building the foundation of a new house. Ben mounted upon the highest of these stones.
"Boys," said he, "I have thought of a plan. You know what a plague it is to have to stand in the quagmire yonder. See, I am bedaubed to the knees, and you are all in the same plight.
"Now I propose that we build a wharf. You see these stones? The workmen mean to use them for building a house here. My plan is to take these same stones, carry them to the edge of the water, and build a wharf with them. What say you, lads? Shall we build the wharf?"
"Yes, yes," cried the boys; "let's set about it!"
It was agreed that they should all be on the spot that evening, and begin their grand public enterprise by moonlight.
Accordingly, at the appointed
