garrison sold home-made lemonade and candy as a youth, and also delivered wood to help support the family. in 1818, at 13, garrison began working as an apprentice compositor for the "newburyport herald." he soon began writing articles, often under the pseudonym "aristides." (aristides was an athenian statesman and general, nicknamed "the just.") after his apprenticeship ended, garrison became the sole owner, editor, and printer of the "newburyport free press," acquiring the rights from his friend isaac knapp, who had also apprenticed at the "herald". one of their regular contributors was poet and abolitionist john greenleaf whittier. in this early work as a small-town newspaper writer, garrison acquired skills he would later use as a nationally-known writer, speaker, and newspaper publisher. in 1828, he was appointed editor of the "national philanthropist" in boston, massachusetts, the first american journal to promote legally-mandated temperance.