jobs and not finding them? Perhaps some were even begging and getting
nothing by that.

He went on with a blank terror in his soul. He gazed at the people he
passed on the street; some of them had kindly faces--surely they would
have helped him had they known. But there was no way for him to let
them know--no way but to be a beggar!

He came to the suburbs and asked at the houses. But no one wanted
anything done. It was noon and people were at luncheon--he caught
odors as doors were opened. He went back into the city, because he
could not stand it. He was feeling weaker, and he was afraid with a
ghastly fear. Pretty soon he might not be able to work!

It was a new idea to Samuel, that a man might starve in the midst of
civilization. He could hardly believe it, and grew half-delirious as
he thought about it. What would happen at the end? Would they let him
lie down and die in the street? Or was there some place where starving
men went to die?

So the day passed, and he found nothing. Several people advised him to
get out of town--this was no place to look for work, they said.
Apparently something was the matter with the place, but they did not
stop to tell him what.

This was the first large town Samuel had ever seen, and under other
circumstances he would have gazed at it with wonder. He passed great
buildings of brick and stone, and trolley cars, and a fire-engine
house, and many other strange sights. He came to a great high fence,
inclosing many acres of buildings, dingy and black with smoke; there