up from slavery-第9节

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ny　rate；　I　got　only　a　half…hearted　consent　from　her　that　I　might　start。　The　small　amount　of　money　that　I　had　earned　had　been　consumed　by　my　stepfather　and　the　remainder　of　the　family；　with　the　exception　of　a　very　few　dollars；　and　so　I　had　very　little　with　which　to　buy　clothes　and　pay　my　travelling　expenses。　My　brother　John　helped　me　all　that　he　could；　but　of　course　that　was　not　a　great　deal；　for　his　work　was　in　the　coal…mine；　where　he　did　not　earn　much；　and　most　of　what　he　did　earn　went　in　the　direction　of　paying　the　household　expenses。

Perhaps　the　thing　that　touched　and　pleased　me　most　in　connection　with　my　starting　for　Hampton　was　the　interest　that　many　of　the　older　coloured　people　took　in　the　matter。　They　had　spent　the　best　days　of　their　lives　in　slavery；　and　hardly　expected　to　live　to　see　the　time　when　they　would　see　a　member　of　their　race　leave　home　to　attend　a　boarding…school。　Some　of　these　older　people　would　give　me　a　nickel；　others　a　quarter；　or　a　handkerchief。

Finally　the　great　day　came；　and　I　started　for　Hampton。　I　had　only　a　small；　cheap　satchel　that　contained　a　few　articles　of　clothing　I　could　get。　My　mother　at　the　time　was　rather　weak　and　broken　in　health。　I　hardly　expected　to　see　her　again；　and　thus　our　parting　was　all　the　more　sad。　She；　however；　was　very　brave　through　it　all。　At　that　time　there　were　no　through　trains　connecting　that　part　of　West　Virginia　with　eastern　Virginia。　Trains　ran　only　a　portion　of　the　way；　and　the　remainder　of　the　distance　was　travelled　by　stage…coaches。

The　distance　from　Malden　to　Hampton　is　about　five　hundred　miles。　I　had　not　been　away　from　home　many　hours　before　it　began　to　grow　painfully　evident　that　I　did　not　have　enough　money　to　pay　my　fair　to　Hampton。　One　experience　I　shall　long　remember。　I　had　been　travelling　over　the　mountains　most　of　the　afternoon　in　an　old…fashion　stage…coach；　when；　late　in　the　evening；　the　coach　stopped　for　the　night　at　a　common；　unpainted　house　called　a　hotel。　All　the　other　passengers　except　myself　were　whites。　In　my　ignorance　I　supposed　that　the　little　hotel　existed　for　the　purpose　of　accommodating　the　passengers　who　travelled　on　the　stage…coach。　The　difference　that　the　colour　of　one's　skin　would　make　I　had　not　thought　anything　about。　After　all　the　other　passengers　had　been　shown　rooms　and　were　getting　ready　for　supper；　I　shyly　presented　myself　before　the　man　at　the　desk。　It　is　true　I　had　practically　no　money　in　my　pocket　with　which　to　pay　for　bed　or　food；　but　I　had　hoped　in　some　way　to　beg　my　way　into　the　good　graces　of　the　landlord；　for　at　that　season　in　the　mountains　of　Virginia　the　weather　was　cold；　and　I　wanted　to　get　indoors　for　the　night。　Without　asking　as　to　whether　I　had　any　money；　the　man　at　the　desk　firmly　refused　to　even　consider　the　matter　of　providing　me　with　food　or　lodging。　This　was　my　first　experience　in　finding　out　what　the　colour　of　my　skin　meant。　In　some　way　I　managed　to　keep　warm　by　walking　about；　and　so　got　through　the　night。　My　whole　soul　was　so　bent　upon　reaching　Hampton　that　I　did　not　have　time　to　cherish　any　bitterness　toward　the　hotel…keeper。

By　walking；　begging　rides　both　in　wagons　and　in　the　cars；　in　some　way；　after　a　number　of　days；　I　reached　the　city　of　Richmond；　Virginia；　about　eighty…two　miles　from　Hampton。　When　I　reached　there；　tired；　hungry；　and　dirty；　it　was　late　in　the　night。　I　had　never　been　in　a　large　city；　and　this　rather　added　to　my　misery。　When　I　reached　Richmond；　I　was　completely　out　of　money。　I　had　not　a　single　acquaintance　in　the　place；　and；　being　unused　to　city　ways；　I　did　not　know　where　to　go。　I　applied　at　several　places　for　lodging；　but　they　all　wanted　money；　and　that　was　what　I　did　not　have。　Knowing　nothing　else　better　to　do；　I　walked　the　streets。　In　doing　this　I　passed　by　many　a　food…stands　where　fried　chicken　and　half…moon　apple　pies　were　piled　high　and　made　to　present　a　most　tempting　appearance。　At　that　time　it　seemed　to　me　that　I　would　have　promised　all　that　I　expected　to　possess　in　the　future　to　have　gotten　hold　of　one　of　those　chicken　legs　or　one　of　those　pies。　But　I　could　not　get　either　of　these；　nor　anything　else　to　eat。

I　must　have　walked　the　streets　till　after　midnight。　At　last　I　became　so　exhausted　that　I　could　walk　no　longer。　I　was　tired；　I　was　hungry；　I　was　everything　but　discouraged。　Just　about　the　time　when　I　reached　extreme　physical　exhaustion；　I　came　upon　a　portion　of　a　street　where　the　board　sidewalk　was　considerably　elevated。　I　waited　for　a　few　minutes；　till　I　was　sure　that　no　passers…by　could　see　me；　and　then　crept　under　the　sidewalk　and　lay　for　the　night　upon　the　ground；　with　my　satchel　of　clothing　for　a　pillow。　Nearly　all　night　I　could　hear　the　tramp　of　feet　over　my　head。　The　next　morning　I　found　myself　somewhat　refreshed；　but　I　was　extremely　hungry；　because　it　had　been　a　long　time　since　I　had　had　sufficient　food。　As　soon　as　it　became　light　enough　for　me　to　see　my　surroundings　I　noticed　that　I　was　near　a　large　ship；　and　that　this　ship　seemed　to　be　unloading　a　cargo　of　pig　iron。　I　went　at　once　to　the　vessel　and　asked　the　captain　to　permit　me　to　help　unload　the　vessel　in　order　to　get　money　for　food。　The　captain；　a　white　man；　who　seemed　to　be　kind…hearted；　consented。　I　worked　long　enough　to　earn　money　for　my　breakfast；　and　it　seems　to　me；　as　I　remember　it　now；　to　have　been　about　the　best　breakfast　that　I　have　ever　eaten。

My　work　pleased　the　captain　so　well　that　he　told　me　if　I　desired　I　could　continue　working　for　a　small　amount　per　day。　This　I　was　very　glad　to　do。　I　continued　working　on　this　vessel　for　a　number　of　days。　After　buying　food　with　the　small　wages　I　received　there　was　not　much　left　to　add　on　the　amount　I　must　get　to　pay　my　way　to　Hampton。　In　order　to　economize　in　every　way　possible；　so　as　to　be　sure　to　reach　Hampton　in　a　reasonable　time；　I　continued　to　sleep　under　the　same　sidewalk　that　gave　me　shelter　the　first　night　I　was　in　Richmond。　Many　years　after　that　the　coloured　citizens　of　Richmond　very　kindly　tendered　me　a　reception　at　which　there　must　have　been　two　thousand　people　present。　This　reception　was　held　not　far　from　the　spot　where　I　slept　the　first　night　I　spent　in　the　city；　and　I　must　confess　that　my　mind　was　more　upon　the　sidewalk　that　first　gave　me　shelter　than　upon　the　recognition；　agreeable　and　cordial　as　it　was。

When　I　had　saved　what　I　considered　enough　money　with　which　to　reach　Hampton；　I　thanked　the　captain　of　the　vessel　for　his　kindness；　and　started　again。　Without　any　unusual　occurrence　I　reached　Hampton；　with　a　surplus　of　exactly　fifty　cents　with　which　to　begin　my　education。　To　me　it　had　been　a　long；　eventful　journey；　but　the　first　sight　of　the　large；　three…story；　brick　school　building　seemed　to　have　rewarded　me　for　all　that　I　had　undergone　in　order　to　reach　the　place。　If　the　people　who　gave　the　money　to　provide　that　building　could　appreciate　the　influence　the　sight　of　it　had　upon　me；　as　well　as　upon　thousands　of　other　youths；　they　would　feel　all　the　more　encouraged　to　make　such　gifts。　It　seemed　to　me　to　be　the　largest　and　most　beautiful　building　I　had　ever　seen。　The　sight　of　it　seemed　to　give　me　new　life。　I　felt　that　a　new　kind　of　existence　had　now　begunthat　life　would　now　have　a　new　meaning。　I　felt　that　I　had　reached　the　promised　land；　and　I　resolved　to　let　no　obstacle　prevent　me　from　putting　forth　the　highest　effort　to　fit　myself　to　accomplish　the　most　good　in　the　world。

As　soon　as　possible　after　reaching　the　grounds　of　the　Hampton　Institute；　I　presented　myself　before　the　head　teacher　for　an　assignment　to　a　class。　Having　been　so　long　without　proper　food；　a　bath；　and　a　change　of　clothing；　I　did　not；　of　course；　make　a　very　favourable　impression　upon　her；　and　I　could　see　at　once　that　there　were　doubts　in　her　mind　about　the　wisdom　of　admitting　me　as　a　student。　I　felt　that　I　could　hardly　blame　her　if　she　got　the　idea　that　I　was　a　worthless　loafer　or　tramp。　For　some　time　she　did　not　refuse　to　admit　me；　neither　did　she　decide　in　my　favour；　and　I　continued　to　linger　about　her；　and　to　impress　her　in　all　the　ways　I　could　with　my　worthiness。　In　the　meantime　I　saw　her　admitting　other　students；　and　that　added　greatly　to　my　discomfort；　for　I　felt；　deep　down　in　my　heart；　that　I　could　do　as　well　as　they；　if　I　could　only　get　a　chance　to　show　what　was　in　me。

After　some　hours　had　passed；　the　head　teacher　said　to　me：　〃The　adjoining　recitation…room　needs　sweeping。　Take　the　broom　and　sweep　it。〃

It　occurred　to　me　at　once　that　here　was　my　chance。　Never　did　I　receive　an　order　with　more　delight。　I　knew　that　I　could　sweep；　for　Mrs。　Ruffner　had　thoroughly　taught　me　how　to　do　that　when　I　lived　with　her。

I　swept　the　recitation…room　three　times。　Then　I　got　a　dusting…cloth　and　dusted　it　four　times。　All　the　woodwork　around　the　walls；　every　bench；　table；　and　desk；　I　went　over　four　times　with　my　dusting…cloth。　Besides；　every　piece　of　furniture　had　been　moved　and　every　closet　and　corner　in　the　room　had　been　thoroughly　cleaned。　I　had　the　feeling　that　in　a　large　measure　my　future　dependent　upon　the　impression　I　made　upon　the　teacher　in　the　cleaning　of　that　room。　When　I　was　through；　I　reported　to　the　head　teacher。　She　was　a　〃Yankee〃　woman　who　knew　just　where　to　look　for　dirt。　She　went　into　the　room　and　inspected　the　floor　and　closets；　then　she　took　her　handkerchief　and　rubbed　it