Word: benning
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Dates: during 1920-1929
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...Florence, Kan., Shamus O'Brien, postmaster, was officially told that he must sell $800 worth of stamps by Jan. 1 or have his salary cut and have his office degraded to third-class. Citizens despaired; a third-class post office means no city mail delivery. In Chicago Ben Minturn, onetime Florentine schoolmate of O'Brien, read of his friend's predicament, wrote a letter, enclosed a check for $1,000, ordered $900 in 2 cent stamps, $100 in 5 cent stamps, saved the day. Shrewd Friend Minturn could, of course, exchange his stamps for cash...
...small child, Ben was "courageous, active and clever, rather than firm in his principles." He once amused his father by advising him to cut out the blessing before meals, instead to bless the pantry cupboard once for all and thus save valuable time. Though he was destined for the ministry, after two years' schooling his father realized that Ben would do better in trade, took him out of school, made him assist in the family candle-shop. When Ben was twelve he was made apprentice to his older brother James, a printer; soon he was contributing anonymous articles, signed...
...London Ben had his ups and downs: friends failed him, he got into near-scrapes over women. "Thus his moral renovation began. Like a good Bostonian, he gave moral lectures to others to cure himself." In 1726 he returned to Philadelphia, went to work in earnest. Soon he was a figure in the community: founded a club (the Junto), married, joined...
Says Author Faÿ: "The secret of Franklin was his memory and his shrewd cleverness. It was easy for him to recall the slightest detail of even distant events, and he had a plan for everything." In spite of his careful creed of moderation, Ben was "cheerful and fond of good living, a hearty drinker and a good story teller." Also, though Author Faÿ does not labor the point, Ben had little saintliness in his blood: in 1785 he had a great-grandson, the illegitimate son of the illegitimate son of his illegitimate son. Author Faÿ, ironic...
Franklin Buchanan, probably named after the late great Ben Franklin, was born in Baltimore in 1800. At 15 he entered the U. S. Navy as midshipman, at $19 a month, and, like other midshipmen, found it hard to buy all the proper uniforms on that pay. At 23 he served under Commodore David Porter against the Caribbean pirates. Six years later he went as third lieutenant to the famed frigate Constellation, four years older than himself, which had spouted broadsides against the French, the English, the pirates of Tripoli. In 1835 he married Anne Catherine Lloyd of Baltimore, who bore...