My earnings I always carried them home and gave them to the white
people. They never asked me for anything. They gave me all I made
but I thought they needed it more than I, so that went on for a
number of years. At this time I was about twenty years old so I
told them I was going to Macon, Ga. to work. I secured work at
the Central R. R. Shop. I worked on the yard a number of months.
During that time I was called off the yard at different times to
work in the office when some one wanted to get off. Finally I was
given one office to clean up. My work was so satisfactory until I
was moved from the shop to the car shed and was given a job of
delivering R. R. Mail. I was promoted three times in two years.
It was then where I became acquainted with a route agent. He
boarded at the same house. We were often in conversation. He was
telling me of a daughter he had in school. I told him I wanted to
go but I was not able. He ask me did I know Booker Washington. I
said no. He said well he runs a school where you can work your
way through school. I told him I would like to go so he gave me
the address. I wrote and received a little pamphlet. I was
looking for a catalogue so I was much disappointed in getting
this little book and said it was not much. But I decided to go
and try. I did not have much money. I had been living high in
Macon and spending all I made. I did not stay to make more but
left in about four weeks after I received the first letter. I
asked for a pass to Montgomery. It was given me. I arrived in
Montgomery with 10 or 12 dollars. I said well I am going to
school so I will have a good time before going so I got broke did
not know any one, thought my trip was up. I walked up the street
one morning. In passing a drug store I saw a young man inside. I
step back a few steps to look again. I recognized it to be some
one I knew some years ago so the first thing came in mind was to
borrow enough money from him to take me to Tuskegee. After a long
talk he asked me where I was going and what I was doing there, so
now was my chance. I told him I was on my way to Tuskegee. He
said it was a fine that he had worked up there. I told him I had
spent all the money I had and wanted to borrow enough to get
there which he very liberally responded. But be