: Benjamin Franklin [1784 
a circumstance. The skipper of a shallop, employed 
between Cape May and Philadelphia, had done us 
some small service, for which he refused to be paid. 
My wife, understanding that he had a daughter, sent 
her a present of a new-fashioned cap. Three years 
after, this skipper being at my house with an old 
farmer of Cape May, his passenger, he mentioned 
the cap, and how much his daughter had been pleased 
with it. “But,” said he, ‘‘it proved a dear cap to 
our congregation.” ‘‘How so?” ‘‘When my daugh- 
ter appeared with it at meeting, it was so much 
admired, that all the girls resolved to get such caps 
from Philadelphia; and my wife and I computed 
that the whole could not have cost less than a hun- 
dred pounds.” ‘‘True,” said the farmer, “but you 
do not tell all the story. I think the cap was never- 
theless an advantage to us, for it was the first thing 
that put our girls upon knitting worsted mittens for 
sale at Philadelphia, that they might have where- 
withal to buy caps and ribbons; and you know that 
industry has continued, and is likely to continue 
and increase to a much greater value, and answer 
better purposes.” Upon the whole, I was more 
reconciled to this little piece of luxury, since not 
only the girls were made happier by having fine 
caps, but the Philadelphians by the supply of warm 
mittens. 
In our commercial towns upon the sea-coast, for- 
tunes will occasionally be made. Some of those who 
grow rich will be prudent, live within bounds, and 
preserve what they have gained for their posterity; 
others, fond of showing their wealth, will be extrava- 
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