Today in History, October 6: 1723 – A 17-year-old runaway arrives on the streets of Philadelphia, a fugitive for having fled an apprenticeship in Boston. After trying his hand at his apprenticeship vocation of printing, he accepted an offer to travel to London to get the equipment for a new printing shop to open in Philly. This failed, but after 4 years of adventure in England, young Benjamin Franklin returned to Philadelphia and began his career as a printer, statesman, scientist and activist for freedom. Franklin is the epitome of the theory that you only fail if you quit.