ency, unwearying patience,
exceptional power of illustration and high Christian character," and so
on.

Or he might begin at the beginning:

"Testimonials in favour of Andrew G. C. Riach, M.A. (Edin.), applicant
for the post of Private Secretary to any one of her Majesty's Cabinet
Ministers, 6 Candlish Street, Wheens, N. B.--I, Andrew G. C. Riach, beg
to offer myself as a candidate for the post of private secretary, and
submit the following testimonials in my favour for your consideration.
I am twenty-five years of age, a Master of Arts of the University of
Edinburgh, and a member of the Free Church of Scotland. At the
University I succeeded in carrying a bursary of 14_l._ 10_s._ per
annum, tenable for four years. I was first medallist in the class of
Logic and Metaphysics, thirteenth prizeman in Mathematics, and had a
certificate of merit in the class of Natural Philosophy, as will be
seen from my testimonials."

However, he seldom got as far as this.

It was when alone that these testimonials were his truest solace. Had
you met him in the Strand conning them over, you might have taken him
for an actor. He had a yearning to stop strangers in the streets and
try a testimonial's effect on them.

Every young man is not equally unfortunate.

Riach's appearance was against him.

There was a suggestion of latent strength about him that made strangers
uncomfortable. Even the friends who thought they understood him liked
him to go away.

Lord Rosebery made several jokes to him, and Andrew only looked at him
in response. The general feeling was that he was sneering at you
somewhere in his inside.

Let us do no one an injustice.

As it turned out, the Cabinet and Press were but being used in this
case as the means to an end.

A grand work lay ready for Andrew's hand when he was fit to perform it,
but he had to learn Naked Truth first. It was ordained that they
should teach it him. Providence sometimes makes use of strange
instruments.

Riach had two pounds with him when he came to London, and in a month
they had almost gone.

Now and again he made an odd five shillings.

Do you know how men in his position live in London?

He could not afford the profession of not having any.

At one time he was a phrasemonger for politicians, especially for the
Irish members, who were the only ones that paid.

Some of his phrases have become Parliamentary. Thus "Buckshot" was
his. "Mend them--End them," "Grand