nt down and gave the letter to a clerk, and it was great to see him
eye me up. I didn't know then how the letter read, but have since
learned that the contents were as follows: "Give this man about the best
overcoat you have in the store." No wonder he looked me over!

We began trying on coats, found one that suited us, and he said, "You
might as well wear it home." "Not on your natural!" I said. "Put it in
paper or a box." I didn't think that coat was for me, for it was fifty
dollars if a cent. Picture me with twelve dollars per month and three
meals, and a fifty-dollar overcoat!

I went back to Mrs. Bainbridge, and she told me to try the coat on,
which I did. Then she said, "David, that coat is for you, but listen,
David; that coat is mine. Now I wouldn't go into a saloon, and I want
you to promise me that you will never enter a saloon while you wear it."
I promised, and that coat never went into a saloon, and I wore it for
five years. Then I sent it to old Ireland, to my wife's father, and
perhaps he is still wearing it. I often see Mrs. Bainbridge, and she is
always the same kind friend, God bless her! I have entry to the Dorcas
Room when I need anything to help a man that I'm trying to put on his
feet, and that's often.

DELIVERING TELEPHONE BOOKS

It was coming spring and I was no longer needed at the furnace. I left
with a recommendation for six months and a standing invitation from the
cook for my meals, and she never went back on me. I don't know where she
is now, but if she reads this book I want her to know that I appreciated
all she did for me when I started this new life and I am sure she will
be delighted to know that she helped a little.

I got another job delivering telephone books. When you see a poor
seedy-looking man delivering these books, give him a kind word, for
there's many a good man at that job to-day hoping for something better.
This job was a hard one and you had to hustle to make a dollar a day,
but I did not mind the hustling: I was strong, the drink had gone out of
me, and I felt good. I was anxious to get a job as porter in some
wholesale house, and delivering these books gave me a good chance to
ask, and ask I did in nearly every store where I delivered a book. I
always got the same reply, "No one wanted." I stayed at this about
three months, and was getting discouraged. It looked as though I'd never
get a steady position.

I had only a few more days of work, and was just finishi