After trying for several days in and near the town of Hampton, I
finally secured work in a restaurant at Fortress Monroe. The
wages, however, were very little more than my board. At night,
and between meals, I found considerable time for study and
reading; and in this direction I improved myself very much during
the summer.
When I left school at the end of my first year, I owed the
institution sixteen dollars that I had not been able to work out.
It was my greatest ambition during the summer to save money
enough with which to pay this debt. I felt that this was a debt
of honour, and that I could hardly bring myself to the point of
even trying to enter school again till it was paid. I economized
in every way that I could think of--did my own washing, and went
without necessary garments--but still I found my summer vacation
ending and I did not have the sixteen dollars.
One day, during the last week of my stay in the restaurant, I
found under one of the tables a crisp, new ten-dollar bill. I
could hardly contain myself, I was so happy. As it was not my
place of business I felt it to be the proper thing to show the
money to the proprietor. This I did. He seemed as glad as I was,
but he coolly explained to me that, as it was his place of
business, he had a right to keep the money, and he proceeded to
do so.
Pages:
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93