Letter to Abby

Dear Abby,                

 My name is Johnny Tremain. I got a permanent problem with me a few days ago. I work as a silversmith apprentice for Mr. Lapham. In my opinion, I was the best silversmith in my neighborhood until a few days ago. I was making a sugar basin for the great Mr. Hancock. It had to be the exact replica of the sugar basin Mr. Lapham made forty years ago! It was pretty hard to make. The handles were in the shape of a woman’s body that was so intricate. There was repousse work on it. Mr. Lapham had to do it because I never learned to do such thing. It also had to be done in one week!!! I kept doing and redoing the handles. I even showed Paul Revere the handles. He showed me how to do it and in the end I got it. I had to start on the basin on Saturday. I told my fellow apprentices, Dove and Dusty, to build up the furnace and get charcoal. But Dove took his time to bring bad, fourth-rate charcoal which is fit for iron. There was a great delay and I got in a fight with Dove. That was when Mr. Lapham that work was over for the day. If Saturday was over, and we cannot work on Sunday for religious reasons, how was I to finish the sugar basin??? I told Mrs. Lapham and she said Sabbath or no Sabbath, this sugar basin had to finish. Believe it or not, she helped me to secretly to try to work five hours on Sunday and two on Monday which was enough for me! But on Sunday is where my problem arose. I was working very, very fast. Mrs. Lapham and the two boys were helping me. I asked Dove to bring me a crucible for melting silver. The stupid, sneaky apprentice gave me a cracked crucible that wasn’t good for melting silver. The beeswax I used to make the wax models for the handles melted and ran over the floor. The crucible broke apart and the silver ran all over the furnace. I slipped on the beeswax and I fell on the molten silver. My hand now is a worthless piece of flesh, not good for anything. Mr. and Mrs. Lapham want me to do the stupid chores and I don’t really want to do them because they are for no good apprentices. Mr. Lapham suggested I find a new skilled trade that can be done with one hand. I am not sure what to do… Please help me and reply soon Abby!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Sincerely,

Johnny Tremain

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