prison for me," he would say; he brought his wife and children to
see me, feeling sure that they would form a passport to my
sympathy and pocket.

He was not far wrong, for I substantially and regularly helped
the wife. I had strong misgivings about the fellow, consequently
what help I gave I took care went direct to his wife.

Sometimes he would call at my office, and with tears would thank
me for the help given to his wife and children. I noticed a
continual improvement in his clothing and appearance till he
became quite a swell. I felt a bit uneasy, for I knew that he
was not at work. I soon discovered, or rather the police
discovered that he had stolen a lot of my office note-paper of
which he had made free use, and when arrested on another charge
several blank cheques which had been abstracted from my cheque
book were found upon him. He had made himself so well known to
and familiar with the caretaker of the chambers, that one night
when he appeared with a bag of tools to put "Mr. Holmes' desk
right," no questions were asked, and he coolly and quite
deliberately, with the office door open, operated in his own
sweet way. Fortunately, when trying the dodge in another set of
chambers, he was arrested in the act, and my blank cheques among
many others were found upon him.

Another term of penal servitude has stopped his career and put an
end to, I will not say a friendship but an acquaintance, that I
am not at any rate anxious to renew.

They come a long way to see me do some of my friends, and put