yed in a frock coat and somewhat
burnished up, I suppose I had the appearance of a possible customer. I
had led him to believe that I could not speak, but now I assured him
that my real infirmity was very acute stammering. I glanced through
the catalogue carefully so as to arouse no suspicions, to alight upon
a specimen of the handicraft which cost 1,000 marks--L50--and with
apparent effort stuttered that I would consult my brother upon the
matter. I left the shop with my heart in my mouth, but gaining the
street in safety, I put as great a distance between the shop and
myself as I could.

I offered my services indiscriminately to a boot-maker, grocer,
confectioner--in fact I can scarcely recall what trade I did not
strive to enter, but always in vain. Finally I entered a fashionable
hairdresser's establishment. By signs and with considerable labour I
finally made my mission known, and at last ascertained that an
assistant was required, and I could present myself the following
morning. I went off treading on air, absolutely delighted with my
success. In fact I was so elated as to omit to notice that this shop
was in one of the three streets forming a triangle and an island in a
"Y" formed by the two main thoroughfares.

The next morning I returned to the city with my solitary razor in my
pocket--I had been instructed to bring my own kit. I entered the shop
but was decidedly puzzled at the sight of strange faces. This I
attributed to the rush which was prevailing having brought men to the
front whom I had not seen the day before. I proffered my razor to
explain that I had come to start work as arranged. The assistant took
it, and told me it would be ready on the following morning. He thought
I wanted it to be ground and set! Not being able to make myself
understood I went outside, looked at the facia, and found I had gone
to the wrong address. The shop for which I had been engaged was on the
other side of the triangle. I hurried in, to be received with a scowl
by the proprietor, who pointed significantly to the clock to intimate
that I was very late.

However, the proprietor donned his hat and coat and took me to another
shop in a distant part of the city. It was one of his branches. I was
to be employed here, but I knew no more about hair-dressing than about
the fourth dimension. Still I thought I could fulfil the role of
lather-boy very effectively.

To my consternation, after lathering one or two customers, I was