162 The Exhibition a Failure. [CHAP. Ix. 
instead of ten in the morning; and kept it open until ten 
o’clock at night. : 
It was of no avail. The millions did not come. The at- 
tendance even fell off. Some days only a few pence were 
taken; on other days nothing. Days, weary days, went 
on, and still there was no success. Yet Edward had plen- 
ty of advisers. Some thought that the collection should 
have been exhibited near the centre of the town, where the 
working-classes lived. Edward was fain to think that there 
might be something in this. He found a large room which 
he thought would answer the purpose; but he was required 
to pay the rent beforehand, and to give security for ten 
pounds, This was entirely out of the question, for he could - 
not give security for “ten bawbees.” One person, who had 
been a showman, advised him to have immense placards 
outside, and to have a band of music to attract the people. 
He must have show and hubbub. “That was the thing 
that attracted folk; whereas his exhibition was all in the 
inside.” But Edward would not have any of such attrac- 
tions. 
In short, the exhibition was fast approaching its end. 
The rent of the shop had to be paid, and he had no money 
to pay it. His wife and family had to be maintained, and 
he had no means of maintaining them. All that he took 
at the door was required to pay the cost of the bills and 
advertisements. By the end of the third week he was deep 
in debt. Though he had been earning small wages, he had 
never before been in debt. To think of being in debt was 
in itself an agony. What was he todo? He was sinking 
deeper and deeper, with no prospect of deliverance. 
By the Friday of the fourth week he had altogether lost 
hope. He had taken nothing in the shape of money that 
day. His exhibition was entirely deserted. He sunk into 
the lowest state of despondency. About three o’clock he 
received a letter from his master at Banff, telling him that 
if he did not return immediately to his work, he would be 
