Show TALC TALE OF POLLY BAKER hoax of benjamin franklin that fooled french historian when benjamin franklin wae was on bis his famous mission in paris he and afla deane were one day fay discussing the numerous errors they found in the abbe raynal s Hi des deux beux indes aben the author ot of that work happened to come in upon them they told the good man the subject of their conversation and the abbe immediately denied that there were any errora errors in his history his attention was called to the story of a certain polly baker and an eloquent address which the abbe credit ed her with making before a massa chu court the abbe insisted that it was a true story but admitted that he could not remember his au dhority for it dr franklin was shak ing with laughter during the eions of the learned frenchman at last he said I 1 will tell 70 you U abbe the origin of that story when I 1 was a printer and editor of a news paper we were sometimes slack of news and to amuse our customers I 1 used to fill up our vacant column columns with anecdotes and fables and fancies ot of my own and this tale of polly baker Is one of my making |