During his teenage years Benjamin Franklin worked as an apprentice printer at his older brother’s printing shop in Boston. The New England Courant newspaper was printed in the shop. Franklin submitted numerous pieces for publication, all of which were rejected. At age 16 he created the persona of Silence Dogood, a middle-aged widow, to write and submit letters to the editor. Every two weeks he left a letter under the door of the shop from Mrs. Dogood. The letters were intended as amusements and poked fun at aspects of life in young colonial America. They were published in the Courant and became very popular. A total of 14 letters were published in 1722. Some men even tendered marriage proposals to Mrs. Dogood upon learning of her widowhood. When his brother James discovered that the letters had been written by his younger brother, Benjamin was forced to leave his apprenticeship without permission and promptly absconded to Philadelphia.