But in those days boys were expected to be silent in the presence of their elders.

However, Ben Franklin was looked upon as a very promising lad, who would talk and act wisely by and by.
"Neighbor Franklin," his father's friends would sometimes say, "you ought to send this boy to college and make a minister of him." "I have often thought of it," his father would reply; "and my brother Benjamin promises to give him a great many volumes of manuscript sermons, in case he should be educated for the church.

But I have a large family to support, and cannot afford the expense." In fact, Mr.Franklin found it so difficult to provide bread for his family, that, when the boy was ten years old, it became necessary to take him from school.

Ben was then employed in cutting candle-wicks into equal lengths and filling the moulds with tallow; and many families in Boston spent their evenings by the light of the candles which he had helped to make.

Thus, you see, in his early days, as well as in his manhood, his labors contributed to throw light upon dark matters.
Busy as his life now was, Ben still found time to keep company with his former schoolfellows.