ly lived a short time
in a lodging-house, and is innocent of the world, has written letters
for these rogues, and not known what he was doing. Strange to say,
very few of these men are able to write their own letters; and,
seeing that they usually pose for men that have lost good positions,
it is not to be wondered at when they have no courage to face a
personal interview. With regard to honest seekers of work, a man
will soon be sorry that he has obliged them, because of the awkward
position in which it places him. For instance, if they do not receive
any answer to your letter, or one that is not favourable, they are
very apt to blame the letter-writer. One day a man came to me, who
had often seen me writing, and asked if I would write him a few lines
in answer to an advertisement. Seeing that he brought a stamped
envelope and a sheet of writing-paper, and I already had pen and ink
before me, I did so at once, to my sorrow. The poor fellow received
no answer at all, and he was under the impression that I could so
word a letter that it was certain to be successful. It never occurred
to him that the advertisement being in a leading paper would be
answered by hundreds of men. When several days passed, and no answer
came, no doubt he came to the conclusion that he would have been
more successful himself, and that I had spoilt him of that job by my
manner of writing. So he was very cold after, leaving me with one
consolation--that I had not only received no benefits from him, but
wanted none, whether he was successful or not.

One man, who could hardly read or write, brought me his aunt's
letter to be deciphered, from whom he was getting assistance every
week. I had so much difficulty in reading her letter that I told him
after that his aunt's writing was very bad. Hearing this he began
to throw out hints that the fault must be with me, for his aunt had
married a rich brewer, and was now a widow with seven servants.
Seeing what a simple man I had to deal with, I tried to explain
that the handwriting of some of the gr