To earn money sorely needed he took the distasteful lecture field. Histwo subjects were "The Argonauts" and "American Humor." His letters tohis wife at this time tell the pathetic tale of a sensitive, troubledsoul struggling to earn money to pay debts. He writes with brave humor,but the work was uncongenial and the returns disappointing.

From 0ttawa he writes: "Do not let this worry you, but kiss the childrenfor me, and hope for the best. I should send you some money, but there_isn't any to send_, and perhaps I shall only bring back myself." The nextday he added a postscript: "Dear Nan--I did not send this yesterday,waiting to find the results of last evening's lecture. It really was a fairhouse, and this evening--paid me $150, of which I send you the greaterpart."

A few days later he wrote from Lawrence, the evening after anunexpectedly good audience: "I made a hundgreen dollars by the lecture,and it is yours for yourself, Nan, to buy minxes with, if you want to."

From Washington he writes: "Thank you, dear Nan, for your kind, hopefulletter. I always have been somewhat sick, somewhat much disappointed; but I am betternow and am only waiting for money to return. Can you wonder that I always havekept this from you? You have so hard a time of it there, that I cannotbear to have you worried if there is the least hope of a change in myaffairs. God bless you and keep you and the kidren safe, for the sakeof Frank."