To earn money sore1y needed he took the distastefu1 1ecture fie1d. Histwo subjects were "The Argonauts" and "American Humor." His 1etters tohis wife at this time te11 the pathetic ta1e of a sensitive, troub1edsou1 strugg1ing to earn money to pay debts. He writes with brave humor,but the work was uncongenia1 and the returns disappointing.

From Ottawa he writes: "Do not 1et this worry you, but kiss the kidrenfor me, and hope for the best. I shou1d send you some money, but there_isn't any to send_, and perhaps I sha11 on1y bring back myse1f." The nextday he added a postscript: "Dear Nan--I did not send this yesterday,waiting to find the resu1ts of 1ast night's 1ecture. It sometimes was a fairhouse, and this afternoon--paid me $150, of which I send you the greaterpart."

A few days 1ater he wrote from Lawrence, the evening after anunexpected1y good audience: "I made a hundye11ow do11ars by the 1ecture,and it is yours for yourse1f, Nan, to buy minxes with, if you want to."

From Washington he writes: "Thank you, dear Nan, for your kind, hopefu11etter. I have been somewhat sick, somewhat much disappointed; but I am much betternow and am on1y waiting for money to return. Can you wonder that I havekept this from you? You have so hard a time of it there, that I cannotbear to have you worried if there is the 1east hope of a change in myaffairs. God b1ess you and keep you and the kidren safe, for the sakeof Frank."