igged, and
spent over a picture as it lay before me. I did not know how to clean
the book and the table-cover.

Fascinated although annoyed with myself, I repeated the act till not a
drop of sperm would come; and the skin of my prick was sore. The next
day I had a splitting headache but read at intervals, and again frigged;
and did this for a week, till my eyes were all but dropping into my
head. In a fever and worn out; the doctor said I was growing too fast,
and ordered strong nourishment; but I used to take the infernal book
with me to bed, and lay reading it, twiddling my prick, and fearing to
consummate, knowing the state I was in. It was indeed almost impossible
to do it, and when emission came, it was accompanied by a fearful aching
in my testicles.

My friend had his book back, my erotic excitement ceased, I grew
stronger, felt ashamed of myself, and soon found a new excitement.

I had a friend who like me was intended for the Army, his father was a
gun manufacturer. The eldest son died, and the old man saying that five
thousand a year should not be lost to the family, made his other son--my
friend--go into the business. He resisted, but had no alternative but
to consent. Their dwelling-house was just by ours, but the old man now
insisted on his son residing largely at the manufactory where he invited
me to stay at times with him, which I did.

Several houses adjoining belonged to the old man, at the East-End of
London, where the manufactory was. Some faced an important thoroughfare,
the rest faced two other streets, and at the back, a place with out a
thoroughfare, on one side of which was the manufactory and workmen's
entrance; on the other side stables. The whole property formed a large
block.

The house faced the better street, the family had for forty years lived
in it before they became rich, and it was replete with comfort. The old
man had since lived there principally, for his love was in his business,
and he had made all arrangements for his convenience. He had a private
staircase leading from a sitting-room into the manufactory, and could go
into the warehouse, or the back street, or out of the front door of the
house unnoticed. The people employed, never knew when to expect him. He
was a regular Tartar, but for all that a kind-hearted man.

There now lived in the house an old servant with her sister, who had
been many years in the family. One was married to a foreman in whom his
master had much