4 a month for my services. I
only remained with her a short while.

The work I liked best of all, however, was that with the shoe firm of
Bearden and Brantley. I had my Sundays, and was off from work at six
o'clock each week-day--a great change from my former employment.

When I was twelve years of age I went to visit an uncle who lived in
Baldwin County, Ga. I had gone to remain two weeks; as a matter of fact
I was with him three years. I worked on the farm every day while with
him, and went to school about two months each year. In this short time I
was only able to review the lessons I had already had. After returning
to Macon, a number of young men who had been to Tuskegee persuaded me to
consider going there to school. The most strenuous opposition came from
my own relatives. After many conversations about the matter I had
finally to go against their will. They honestly felt that such reading
and writing as I could do was quite enough education for me, or for any
other Negro boy.

I reached the school, after being properly admitted, on the 11th of
September, 1893, and registered as a student in the night-school, as I
had no money, and could pay in cash for no part of my expenses. I was
assigned, after examination, to the A Preparatory class. I was assigned
work at the barns, fed cows, milked, and rendered such other service as
was required by the instructor.

Soon after reaching Tuskegee and after I had begun "working out" my
expenses, I learned that the officers of the school were contemplating a
new scheme whereby all of the students in the night-school would work
one-half of each day, go to school one-half of each day, and pay $4 a
month in cash into the school treasury. Mrs. Washington, the "guardian
angel" of the student body at Tuskegee called me and several other
students into conference and asked us to frankly state how the new
schedule would affect us, what we thought of the plan, how much money we
were able to pay, etc. Out of the whole number only four declared they
were able to pay the $4 a month; the larger number, like myself, were
utterly unable to pay anything in cash, being dependent absolutely upon
our ability to cover our expenses by work in some of the industrial
divisions. It was finally decided to forego this contemplated
arrangement, and I, and the majority of others situated like myself,
were made very happy. My whole future hinged on this decision, as I
should have been compelled to leav