Sam Kimper spent several days in looking about his native town for work.

He found many sympathetic assurances, some promises, and no work at all.

Everybody explained to everybody else that they were sorry for the poor wretch, but they couldn't afford to have a jail-bird around.
Meanwhile, Sam's stock of money, accumulated by overwork in the State prison, and augmented by Judge Prency's present, was running low.

He kept his family expenses as low as possible, buying only the plainest of food-material and hesitating long to break a bill, though it were only of the denomination of one dollar.

Nevertheless the little wad of paper money in his pocket grew noticeably thinner to his touch.
His efforts to save the little he had in his possession were not assisted by his family.