hear
some preaching. Notices were sent out that on a Wednesday night a
Presiding Elder would speak. This man had the reputation of being a
great preacher. All of our people prepared early, and went to church.
When I thought the services had begun, I too went. Though I was far from
being well, I did not have much trouble in reaching there. I did not go
in, however, but went around to the rear of the church. The building was
a large, box-like cottage, and contained many cracks. One could hear as
well on the outside as on the inside. I stood directly behind the pulpit
and heard all that the preacher said.

At the close of his sermon he spoke of the school at Tuskegee, where, he
said, poor boys and girls could go without money and without price, and
work for an education. From that night I decided to go to Tuskegee.
Before the meeting closed, I returned home, and when the others got
there, I was in my place fast asleep. I wrote Mr. Washington the next
day, and he sent me a catalogue immediately.

CHAPTER 4.

LIFE AT TUSKEGEE.

In the fall of '87 I told my aunt that I wanted to go to Tuskegee the
next year, and that in addition to her little farm, I wanted to rent an
acre of land and work it for that purpose. She encouraged me in this
idea and said that she wished so much that she could do something for me
that was worth while, but she was poor and could do but little, as she
was now well advanced in years. She said, however, that she would help
me to work my patch.

About this time I learned that my brother Washington, who had been away
for a number of years, was living at Hazen, Alabama, about fifty miles
northeast of Snow Hill. He was working in the bridge-gang on a railroad
and was making good money. I learned also that my father and sister had
died several years before. Now as there were but two of us, and I was
cripple, I thought that I would write my brother and get him to help me
go to Tuskegee. So I started out for Hazen and reached there after two
days' journey on foot. My brother did not seem to care for me and gave
me no encouragement whatever. This was a sore disappointment to me and I
did not remain there more than a few days. I returned to Snow Hill very
much discouraged, but the warmth with which my old aunt greeted and
welcomed me back home, helped me much.

Soon we were all busy getting ready to plant our little farms. That year
there were four of us still living in the one room log cabin, m