The difficulty was the "something," and I spent various shillings in agencies, with a quite wonderful unanimity of failures.

I tried fancy needle-work, offered to "ladies in reduced circumstances," and earned 4s.6d.by some weeks of stitching.

I experimented with a Birmingham firm, who generously offered every one the opportunity of adding to their incomes, and on sending the small fee demanded, received a pencil-case, with an explanation that I was to sell little articles of that description, going as far as cruet-stands, to my friends.

I did not feel equal to springing pencil-cases and cruet-stands on my acquaintances, so did not enter on that line of business, and similar failures in numerous efforts made me feel, as so many others have found, that the world-oyster is hard to open.

However, I was resolute to build a nest for my wee daughter, my mother, and myself, and the first thing to do was to save my monthly pittance to buy furniture.