up from slavery-第11节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



After　having　been　for　a　while　at　Hampton；　I　found　myself　in　difficulty　because　I　did　not　have　books　and　clothing。　Usually；　however；　I　got　around　the　trouble　about　books　by　borrowing　from　those　who　were　more　fortunate　than　myself。　As　to　clothes；　when　I　reached　Hampton　I　had　practically　nothing。　Everything　that　I　possessed　was　in　a　small　hand　satchel。　My　anxiety　about　clothing　was　increased　because　of　the　fact　that　General　Armstrong　made　a　personal　inspection　of　the　young　men　in　ranks；　to　see　that　their　clothes　were　clean。　Shoes　had　to　be　polished；　there　must　be　no　buttons　off　the　clothing；　and　no　grease…spots。　To　wear　one　suit　of　clothes　continually；　while　at　work　and　in　the　schoolroom；　and　at　the　same　time　keep　it　clean；　was　rather　a　hard　problem　for　me　to　solve。　In　some　way　I　managed　to　get　on　till　the　teachers　learned　that　I　was　in　earnest　and　meant　to　succeed；　and　then　some　of　them　were　kind　enough　to　see　that　I　was　partly　supplied　with　second…hand　clothing　that　had　been　sent　in　barrels　from　the　North。　These　barrels　proved　a　blessing　to　hundreds　of　poor　but　deserving　students。　Without　them　I　question　whether　I　should　ever　have　gotten　through　Hampton。

When　I　first　went　to　Hampton　I　do　not　recall　that　I　had　ever　slept　in　a　bed　that　had　two　sheets　on　it。　In　those　days　there　were　not　many　buildings　there；　and　room　was　very　precious。　There　were　seven　other　boys　in　the　same　room　with　me；　most　of　them；　however；　students　who　had　been　there　for　some　time。　The　sheets　were　quite　a　puzzle　to　me。　The　first　night　I　slept　under　both　of　them；　and　the　second　night　I　slept　on　top　of　them；　but　by　watching　the　other　boys　I　learned　my　lesson　in　this；　and　have　been　trying　to　follow　it　ever　since　and　to　teach　it　to　others。

I　was　among　the　youngest　of　the　students　who　were　in　Hampton　at　the　time。　Most　of　the　students　were　men　and　womensome　as　old　as　forty　years　of　ago。　As　I　now　recall　the　scene　of　my　first　year；　I　do　not　believe　that　one　often　has　the　opportunity　of　coming　into　contact　with　three　or　four　hundred　men　and　women　who　were　so　tremendously　in　earnest　as　these　men　and　women　were。　Every　hour　was　occupied　in　study　or　work。　Nearly　all　had　had　enough　actual　contact　with　the　world　to　teach　them　the　need　of　education。　Many　of　the　older　ones　were；　of　course；　too　old　to　master　the　text…books　very　thoroughly；　and　it　was　often　sad　to　watch　their　struggles；　but　they　made　up　in　earnest　much　of　what　they　lacked　in　books。　Many　of　them　were　as　poor　as　I　was；　and；　besides　having　to　wrestle　with　their　books；　they　had　to　struggle　with　a　poverty　which　prevented　their　having　the　necessities　of　life。　Many　of　them　had　aged　parents　who　were　dependent　upon　them；　and　some　of　them　were　men　who　had　wives　whose　support　in　some　way　they　had　to　provide　for。

The　great　and　prevailing　idea　that　seemed　to　take　possession　of　every　one　was　to　prepare　himself　to　lift　up　the　people　at　his　home。　No　one　seemed　to　think　of　himself。　And　the　officers　and　teachers；　what　a　rare　set　of　human　beings　they　were！　They　worked　for　the　students　night　and　day；　in　seasons　and　out　of　season。　They　seemed　happy　only　when　they　were　helping　the　students　in　some　manner。　Whenever　it　is　writtenand　I　hope　it　will　bethe　part　that　the　Yankee　teachers　played　in　the　education　of　the　Negroes　immediately　after　the　war　will　make　one　of　the　most　thrilling　parts　of　the　history　off　this　country。　The　time　is　not　far　distant　when　the　whole　South　will　appreciate　this　service　in　a　way　that　it　has　not　yet　been　able　to　do。



Chapter　IV。　Helping　Others

At　the　end　of　my　first　year　at　Hampton　I　was　confronted　with　another　difficulty。　Most　of　the　students　went　home　to　spend　their　vacation。　I　had　no　money　with　which　to　go　home；　but　I　had　to　go　somewhere。　In　those　days　very　few　students　were　permitted　to　remain　at　the　school　during　vacation。　It　made　me　feel　very　sad　and　homesick　to　see　the　other　students　preparing　to　leave　and　starting　for　home。　I　not　only　had　no　money　with　which　to　go　home；　but　I　had　none　with　which　to　go　anywhere。

In　some　way；　however；　I　had　gotten　hold　of　an　extra；　second…hand　coat　which　I　thought　was　a　pretty　valuable　coat。　This　I　decided　to　sell；　in　order　to　get　a　little　money　for　travelling　expenses。　I　had　a　good　deal　of　boyish　pride；　and　I　tried　to　hide；　as　far　as　I　could；　from　the　other　students　the　fact　that　I　had　no　money　and　nowhere　to　go。　I　made　it　known　to　a　few　people　in　the　town　of　Hampton　that　I　had　this　coat　to　sell；　and；　after　a　good　deal　of　persuading；　one　coloured　man　promised　to　come　to　my　room　to　look　the　coat　over　and　consider　the　matter　of　buying　it。　This　cheered　my　drooping　spirits　considerably。　Early　the　next　morning　my　prospective　customer　appeared。　After　looking　the　garment　over　carefully；　he　asked　me　how　much　I　wanted　for　it。　I　told　him　I　thought　it　was　worth　three　dollars。　He　seemed　to　agree　with　me　as　to　price；　but　remarked　in　the　most　matter…of…fact　way：　〃I　tell　you　what　I　will　do；　I　will　take　the　coat；　and　will　pay　you　five　cents；　cash　down；　and　pay　you　the　rest　of　the　money　just　as　soon　as　I　can　get　it。〃　It　is　not　hard　to　imagine　what　my　feelings　were　at　the　time。

With　this　disappointment　I　gave　up　all　hope　of　getting　out　of　the　town　of　Hampton　for　my　vacation　work。　I　wanted　very　much　to　go　where　I　might　secure　work　that　would　at　least　pay　me　enough　to　purchase　some　much…needed　clothing　and　other　necessities。　In　a　few　days　practically　all　the　students　and　teachers　had　left　for　their　homes；　and　this　served　to　depress　my　spirits　even　more。

After　trying　for　several　days　in　and　near　the　town　of　Hampton；　I　finally　secured　work　in　a　restaurant　at　Fortress　Monroe。　The　wages；　however；　were　very　little　more　than　my　board。　At　night；　and　between　meals；　I　found　considerable　time　for　study　and　reading；　and　in　this　direction　I　improved　myself　very　much　during　the　summer。

When　I　left　school　at　the　end　of　my　first　year；　I　owed　the　institution　sixteen　dollars　that　I　had　not　been　able　to　work　out。　It　was　my　greatest　ambition　during　the　summer　to　save　money　enough　with　which　to　pay　this　debt。　I　felt　that　this　was　a　debt　of　honour；　and　that　I　could　hardly　bring　myself　to　the　point　of　even　trying　to　enter　school　again　till　it　was　paid。　I　economized　in　every　way　that　I　could　think　ofdid　my　own　washing；　and　went　without　necessary　garmentsbut　still　I　found　my　summer　vacation　ending　and　I　did　not　have　the　sixteen　dollars。

One　day；　during　the　last　week　of　my　stay　in　the　restaurant；　I　found　under　one　of　the　tables　a　crisp；　new　ten…dollar　bill。　I　could　hardly　contain　myself；　I　was　so　happy。　As　it　was　not　my　place　of　business　I　felt　it　to　be　the　proper　thing　to　show　the　money　to　the　proprietor。　This　I　did。　He　seemed　as　glad　as　I　was；　but　he　coolly　explained　to　me　that；　as　it　was　his　place　of　business；　he　had　a　right　to　keep　the　money；　and　he　proceeded　to　do　so。　This；　I　confess；　was　another　pretty　hard　blow　to　me。　I　will　not　say　that　I　became　discouraged；　for　as　I　now　look　back　over　my　life　I　do　not　recall　that　I　ever　became　discouraged　over　anything　that　I　set　out　to　accomplish。　I　have　begun　everything　with　the　idea　that　I　could　succeed；　and　I　never　had　much　patience　with　the　multitudes　of　people　who　are　always　ready　to　explain　why　one　cannot　succeed。　I　determined　to　face　the　situation　just　as　it　was。　At　the　end　of　the　week　I　went　to　the　treasurer　of　the　Hampton　Institute；　General　J。F。B。　Marshall；　and　told　him　frankly　my　condition。　To　my　gratification　he　told　me　that　I　could　reenter　the　institution；　and　that　he　would　trust　me　to　pay　the　debt　when　I　could。　During　the　second　year　I　continued　to　work　as　a　janitor。

The　education　that　I　received　at　Hampton　out　of　the　text…books　was　but　a　small　part　of　what　I　learned　there。　One　of　the　things　that　impressed　itself　upon　me　deeply；　the　second　year；　was　the　unselfishness　of　the　teachers。　It　was　hard　for　me　to　understand　how　any　individuals　could　bring　themselves　to　the　point　where　they　could　be　so　happy　in　working　for　others。　Before　the　end　of　the　year；　I　think　I　began　learning　that　those　who　are　happiest　are　those　who　do　the　most　for　others。　This　lesson　I　have　tried　to　carry　with　me　ever　since。

I　also　learned　a　valuable　lesson　at　Hampton　by　coming　into　contact　with　the　best　breeds　of　live　stock　and　fowls。　No　student；　I　think；　who　has　had　the　opportunity　of　doing　this　could　go　out　into　the　world　and　content　himself　with　the　poorest　grades。

Perhaps　the　most　valuable　thing　that　I　got　out　of　my　second　year　was　an　understanding　of　the　use　and　value　of　the　Bible。　Miss　Nathalie　Lord；　one　of　the　teachers；　from　Portland；　Me。；　taught　me　how　to　use　and　love　the　Bible。　Before　this　I　had　never　cared　a　great　deal　about　it；　but　now　I　learned　to　love　to　read　the　Bible；　not　only　for　the　spiritual　help　which　it　gives；　but　on　account　of　it　as　literature。　The　lessons　taught　me　in　this　respect　took　such　a　hold　upon　me　that　at　the　present　time；　when　I　am　at　home；　no　matter　how　busy　I　am；　I　always　make　it　a　rule　to　read　a　chapter　or　a　portion　of　a　chapter　in　the　morning；　before　beginning　the　work　of　the　day。

Whatever　ability　I　may　have　as　a　public　speaker　I　owe　in　a　measure　to　Miss　Lord。　When　she　found　out　that　I　had　some　inclination　in　this　direction；　she　gave　me　private　lessons　in　the　matter　of　breathing；　emphasis；　and　articulation。　Simply　to　be