Often as it happened, when during the week I had
been disappointed in not getting a cent from the very individuals from
whom I most expected help, and when I was almost broken down and
discouraged, that generous help has come from some one who I had had
little idea would give at all.
I recall that on one occasion I obtained information that led me
to believe that a gentleman who lived about two miles out in the
country from Stamford, Conn., might become interest in our efforts at
Tuskegee if our conditions and needs were presented to him. On an
unusually cold and stormy day I walked the two miles to see him.
After some difficulty I succeeded in securing an interview with him.
He listened with some degree of interest to what I had to say, but did
not give me anything. I could not help having the feeling that, in a
measure, the three hours that I had spent in seeing him had been
thrown away. Still, I had followed my usual rule of doing my duty.
If I had not seen him, I should have felt unhappy over neglect of
duty.
Two years after this visit a letter came to Tuskegee from this
man, which read like this: "Enclosed I send you a New York draft for
ten thousand dollars, to be used in furtherance of your work. I had
placed this sum in my will for your school, but deem it wiser to give
it to you while I live.
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