For the first week, indeed, of his arrival in London Frank did
not set himself very earnestly to work to look for a situation.
In his walks about the streets he several times observed cards in
the window indicating that an errand boy was wanted. He resolved,
however, that this should be the last resource which he would
adopt, as he would much prefer to go to work as a common lad in a
factory to serving in a shop. After the first week he answered many
advertisements, but in no case received a reply. In one case, in
which it was stated that a lad who could write a good fast hand
was required in an office, wages to begin with eight shillings a
week, he called two days after writing. It was a small office with
a solitary clerk sitting in it. The latter, upon learning Frank's
business, replied with some exasperation that his mind was being
worried out by boys.
"We have had four hundred and thirty letters," he said; "and I should
think that a hundred boys must have called. We took the first who
applied, and all the other letters were chucked into the fire as
soon as we saw what they were about."
Frank returned to the street greatly disheartened.
"Four hundred and thirty letters!" he said.
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