enough to pay our traveling expenses, and explained to
my wife we had better leave on the morning train, which would get us
into Ann Arbor at two o'clock in the afternoon. And as that day would be
Saturday, I could "hus'le" out and sell polish enough to pay our rent
and buy provisions for over Sunday.

She agreed with me and we started accordingly. But our train was belated
by a freight train being ditched, so we did not reach our destination
till six o'clock that night without a single cent in our pockets.

The night was dark and gloomy and the snow flying, while I hus'led
around in my low-cut shoes, high-water pants, summer ulster and a straw
hat. We walked nearly all over the town, following directions given by
first one fool and then another, lugging the boy and our baggage,
searching for Mrs. Hogan, corner of Second and Ann streets. At last we
reached the place and I introduced myself as the one who had engaged a
room of her by letter. After explaining to the old lady that we had just
arrived from Pontiac, she looked us over carefully and remarked:

"You didn't walk did you?"

I replied that we had come part of the way on the cars, and then I told
her of our march around town.

I noticed at once that she was anxious about her rent, as we had taken
possession. So I said to my wife:

"Well I must go out instantly to find those parties, or I wont be able
to see them till Monday. I will be back just as soon as I possibly can,
so you must not worry. Mrs. Hogan will you direct me to a wood yard?"

"Never mind the wood Mr. Johnston. It will be impossible to get a load
delivered to-night. I will let you have enough to last over Sunday."

We thanked her and she left the room.

Then my wife said she had often told her parents that she was sure of
three meals a day as long as I lived, but she guessed I was cornered for
once in my life.

"But," said I "if it were only one meal that we were liable to miss it
would not be so terrible, but here it is late Saturday and if I can't
raise enough for supper, I certainly can't for over Sunday. But this is
what the preacher termed a 'wood-chuck case' and something must be done
at once."

She didn't understand what the wood-chuck case meant, till I told her
that it simply meant we were "out of meat."

I picked up my little valise, containing twelve bottles of Furniture
Polish and started out. I walked down town, not knowing what to do. The
snow was flying through my straw h