Finally, to solve the difficulty, he
stooped over and peeped at the man's feet. When I saw the conductor
examining the feet of the man in question, I said to myself, "That
will settle it;" and so it did, for the trainman promptly decided that
the passenger was a Negro, and let him remain where he was. I
congratulated myself that my race was fortunate in not losing one of
its members.
My experience has been that the time to test a true gentleman is
to observe him when he is in contact with individuals of a race that
is less fortunate than his own. This is illustrated in no better way
than by observing the conduct of the old-school type of Southern
gentleman when he is in contact with his former salves or their
descendants.
An example of what I mean is shown in a story told of George
Washington, who, meeting a coloured man in the road once, who politely
lifted his hat, lifted his own in return. Some of his white friends
who saw the incident criticised Washington for his action. In reply
to their criticism George Washington said: "Do you suppose that I am
going to permit a poor, ignorant, coloured man to be more polite than
I am?"
While I was in charge of the Indian boys at Hampton, I had one or
two experiences which illustrate the curious workings of caste in
America.
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