, 1883-09-29
III.

james ROsewarne had been a month
in London and his prospects were not
appreciably better than when he
came.
What few intrOductiOns he had
been able to procure had been of no
service to him. They did not come
from persons Of sufficient influence,
or they were addressed to the wrong
men.
He had provided himself with
specimens of his work, and he found
that they were useless. He could not
get access to editors, or editors would
not look at his specimens if he did.
They were full of the worlds affairs I;
they were influencing ministries,
molding public opinion, controlling
the nations destinies; they had no
time to spare for James Rosewarne.
When he went to a newspaperoffice,
and stated his desire to see Mr.. A. or
Mr.. B. or Mr.. G., a small slip of paper
was handed him, and on this he was
expected to write down his name
and his business. The slip of paper
was elevated to the upper story by
means Of square box and a string,
and then the porter was informed
through tube that Mr.. A. or Mr..
b. or Mr.. c. was engaged.
James Rosewarne had been intro
duced to one editor by an acquaint-
ance, and this gentleman had got rid
of him by giving him anote to another
editor, who was sorry that he had no
present demand for his services.
Once, by the help of the slip of
paper and the square box with a
string, he was brought into commu-
nication with a newspaper proprietor
who personally conducted, )" like Mr..
Cook. This was tall, thin, grizzled
man, who talked necessarily for Il
quarter Of an hour about the political
situation and the stupidity Of the
Government, and then asked his Wis
itOrIwhat his business might be.
james Rosewarne explained.
"Wcll," said the newspaper pro-
prictor, 81 might be able to take
something from you. What we want
is something that is crisp and strong;
abundantplay Of the fancy, you know;
lively imagination, sparkling wit"
The newspaper proprietor said this
with a comprehensive wave Of the
hand, as if he were signifying that a
constant supply of these qualities
was kept on stock in the room.
RoScwarne went home and wrote
an article. Then he wrote it over
again. Than ha NUrnts it third time
Two days afterward it came back with
the intimatiOn that it was not crisp
and strong enough. He wrote another
article, and it had not sufficient play
of fancy: third, and it was deficient
in imagination and wit.
Gradually he was sinking into a
condition Of dull misery and self-dis-
trust, and all the while he was writing
hopeful letters home, cheering with
delusive words the heart that was
Lroodingover him, longing after him,
praying for him and and believing in
his success.
$50 many papers, such avast num-
Der of men employed in producing
them, and no room for me ~
That was the thought that was
always forcing itself upon him as he
walked down Fleet street and saw
the names Of a half dozen newspapers
on every other door,
He hid made two or three friends,
who give him abundant advice.
"It 4 man can be trusted, if he
always has his copy in, in time, old
man." said one Of these encoura-
gingly.
James Rosewarne smiled, and said
that anyone who would take his
'copy" might certainly depend upon
having it in time but that man had
yet to be found. 80.
''There are at least twenty men
coming to London every week" !" said
another, more considerably. "Not
one Of them has a chance Of succeed
ing unless he can do something a
great deal better than any one else.
Can you do good descriptive work,
Rosewarne Can you teach your
grandmother how to suck eggs? If
you can, why, go about and see life.
Go down into Shoreditch, or Millwall,
or Ratcliff Highway; or go up in a
balloon. These things have all been
done! Yes, but you come with fresh
eyes. What is worn out to us will
be novel to you. You will put anew
face on familiar things, and you will
succeed. One-half of the world is
always willing to be taught how the
other half lives, and it takes a great
many lessons without making much
progress toward knowledge"
Itwas excellent advice, and James
Rosewarne decided to act upon it.
From thenceforth he spentmuch time
in places with very shady regulations.
".
elbow many plain, unvarnished
faces Of meD do we look at, unknOw-
ing of murder behind those eyes /"
The words are Thackeray's. They
had come into James Rosewarne's
mind in some "longshore" wander
ing the'neighbOrhOOd Of Limehouse.
Not that the faces Of most Of the
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