I knew no one to whom I could go for work--and the woman with whom I boarded could not recommend me to any place, except to the clothing-stores: but they, she said, paid so badly that she would not advise me to go there, for I could not earn much over half what it would cost me for my board.

Still, she added, 'half a loaf is better than no bread.' I felt that there was truth in this last remark, and, therefore, after getting the direction of a clothing-store, I went there and got a few pairs of coarse trowsers.
This kind of work was new to me.

In my ignorance, I made some portion of them wrong, for which I received abuse from the owner of the shop, and no money.

He was not going, he said, to pay me for having his work spoiled.
"Dreadfully disheartened, I returned to my lodgings, and set myself to ponder over some other means of support.

I had been, while at school, one of the best French and Spanish scholars in the seminary.
I had also given great attention to music, and could have taught it as skillfully as our musical professor.