ite
folks."

"Lawd, how long!"

"An' what you think he say?"

"I do' know, sis'."

"He say ez soon 'z he git money enough, he gwine to dat school whah
'Lias and Jim gone an' lu'n to fahm scientific."

"Bless de Lawd! Well, 'um, I don' put nothin' pas' de young folks now."

Mt. Hope had at last awakened. Something had come to her to which she
might aspire,--something that she could understand and reach. She was
not soaring, but she was rising above the degradation in which Harold
Dokesbury had found her. And for her and him the ordeal had passed.

PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR

The Negro race in America has produced musicians, composers and
painters, but it was left for Paul Laurence Dunbar to give it fame in
literature. He was of pure African stock; his father and mother were
born in slavery, and neither had any schooling, although the father had
taught himself to read. Paul was born in Dayton, Ohio, June 27, 1872. He
was christened Paul, because his father said that he was to be a great
man. He was a diligent pupil at school, and began to make verses when he
was still a child. His ability was recognized by his class mates; he was
made editor of the high school paper, and wrote the class song for his
commencement.

The death of his father made it necessary for him to support his mother.
He sought for some employment where his education might be put to some
use, but finding such places closed to him, he became an elevator boy.
He continued to write, however, and in 1892 his first volume was
published, a book of poems called _Oak and Ivy_. The publishers were so
doubtful of its success that they would not bring it out until a friend
advanced the cost of publication. Paul now sold books to the passengers
in his elevator, and realized enough to repay his friend. He was
occasionally asked to give readings from his poetry. Gifted as he was
with a deep, melodious voice, and a fine power of mimicry, he was very
successful. In 1893 he was sought out by a man who was organizing a
concert company and who engaged Paul to go along as reader. Full of
enthusiasm, he set to work committing his poems to memory, and writing
new ones. Ten days before the company was to start, word came that it
had been disbanded. Paul found himself at the approach of winter without
money and without work, and with his mother in real need. In his
discouragement he even thought of suicide, but by the help of a friend
he found work, and with it co