up from slavery-第38部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



When　the　Englishman　takes　you　into　his　heart　and　friendship；　he　binds　you　there　as　with　cords　of　steel；　and　I　do　not　believe　that　there　are　many　other　friendships　that　are　so　lasting　or　so　satisfactory。　Perhaps　I　can　illustrate　this　point　in　no　better　way　than　by　relating　the　following　incident。　Mrs。　Washington　and　I　were　invited　to　attend　a　reception　given　by　the　Duke　and　Duchess　of　Sutherland；　at　Stafford　Housesaid　to　be　the　finest　house　in　London；　I　may　add　that　I　believe　the　Duchess　of　Sutherland　is　said　to　be　the　most　beautiful　woman　in　England。　There　must　have　been　at　least　three　hundred　persons　at　this　reception。　Twice　during　the　evening　the　Duchess　sought　us　out　for　a　conversation；　and　she　asked　me　to　write　her　when　we　got　home；　and　tell　her　more　about　the　work　at　Tuskegee。　This　I　did。　When　Christmas　came　we　were　surprised　and　delighted　to　receive　her　photograph　with　her　autograph　on　it。　The　correspondence　has　continued；　and　we　now　feel　that　in　the　Duchess　of　Sutherland　we　have　one　of　our　warmest　friends。

After　three　months　in　Europe　we　sailed　from　Southampton　in　the　steamship　St。　Louis。　On　this　steamer　there　was　a　fine　library　that　had　been　presented　to　the　ship　by　the　citizens　of　St。　Louis；　Mo。　In　this　library　I　found　a　life　of　Frederick　Douglass；　which　I　began　reading。　I　became　especially　interested　in　Mr。　Douglass's　description　of　the　way　he　was　treated　on　shipboard　during　his　first　or　second　visit　to　England。　In　this　description　he　told　how　he　was　not　permitted　to　enter　the　cabin；　but　had　to　confine　himself　to　the　deck　of　the　ship。　A　few　minutes　after　I　had　finished　reading　this　description　I　was　waited　on　by　a　committee　of　ladies　and　gentlemen　with　the　request　that　I　deliver　an　address　at　a　concert　which　was　to　begin　the　following　evening。　And　yet　there　are　people　who　are　bold　enough　to　say　that　race　feeling　in　America　is　not　growing　less　intense！　At　this　concert　the　Hon。　Benjamin　B。　Odell；　Jr。；　the　present　governor　of　New　York；　presided。　I　was　never　given　a　more　cordial　hearing　anywhere。　A　large　proportion　of　the　passengers　with　Southern　people。　After　the　concert　some　of　the　passengers　proposed　that　a　subscription　be　raised　to　help　the　work　at　Tuskegee；　and　the　money　to　support　several　scholarships　was　the　result。

While　we　were　in　Paris　I　was　very　pleasantly　surprised　to　receive　the　following　invitation　from　the　citizens　of　West　Virginia　and　of　the　city　near　which　I　had　spent　my　boyhood　days：

Charleston；　W。　Va。；　May　16；　1899。

Professor　Booker　T。　Washington；　Paris；　France：

Dear　Sir：　Many　of　the　best　citizens　of　West　Virginia　have　united　in　liberal　expressions　of　admiration　and　praise　of　your　worth　and　work；　and　desire　that　on　your　return　from　Europe　you　should　favour　them　with　your　presence　and　with　the　inspiration　of　your　words。　We　must　sincerely　indorse　this　move；　and　on　behalf　of　the　citizens　of　Charleston　extend　to　your　our　most　cordial　invitation　to　have　you　come　to　us；　that　we　may　honour　you　who　have　done　so　much　by　your　life　and　work　to　honour　us。

We　are；

Very　truly　yours；

The　Common　Council　of　the　City　of　Charleston；

By　W。　Herman　Smith；　Mayor。

This　invitation　from　the　City　Council　of　Charleston　was　accompanied　by　the　following：

Professor　Booker　T。　Washington；　Paris；　France：

Dear　Sir：　We；　the　citizens　of　Charleston　and　West　Virginia；　desire　to　express　our　pride　in　you　and　the　splendid　career　that　you　have　thus　far　accomplished；　and　ask　that　we　be　permitted　to　show　our　pride　and　interest　in　a　substantial　way。

Your　recent　visit　to　your　old　home　in　our　midst　awoke　within　us　the　keenest　regret　that　we　were　not　permitted　to　hear　you　and　render　some　substantial　aid　to　your　work；　before　you　left　for　Europe。

In　view　of　the　foregoing；　we　earnestly　invite　you　to　share　the　hospitality　of　our　city　upon　your　return　from　Europe；　and　give　us　the　opportunity　to　hear　you　and　put　ourselves　in　touch　with　your　work　in　a　way　that　will　be　most　gratifying　to　yourself；　and　that　we　may　receive　the　inspiration　of　your　words　and　presence。

An　early　reply　to　this　invitation；　with　an　indication　of　the　time　you　may　reach　our　city；　will　greatly　oblige；

Yours　very　respectfully；

The　Charleston　Daily　Gazette；　The　Daily　Mail…Tribune；　G。W。　Atkinson；　Governor；　E。L。　Boggs；　Secretary　to　Governor；　Wm。　M。O。　Dawson；　Secretary　of　State；　L。M。　La　Follette；　Auditor；　J。R。　Trotter；　Superintendent　of　Schools；　E。W。　Wilson；　ex…Governor；　W。A。　MacCorkle；　ex…Governor；　John　Q。　Dickinson；　President　Kanawha　Valley　Bank；　L。　Prichard；　President　Charleston　National　Bank；　Geo。　S。　Couch；　President　Kanawha　National　Bank；　Ed。　Reid；　Cashier　Kanawha　National　Bank；　Geo。　S。　Laidley；　Superintended　City　Schools；　L。E。　McWhorter；　President　Board　of　Education；　Chas。　K。　Payne；　wholesale　merchant；　and　many　others。


This　invitation；　coming　as　it　did　from　the　City　Council；　the　state　officers；　and　all　the　substantial　citizens　of　both　races　of　the　community　where　I　had　spent　my　boyhood；　and　from　which　I　had　gone　a　few　years　before；　unknown；　in　poverty　and　ignorance；　in　quest　of　an　education；　not　only　surprised　me；　but　almost　unmanned　me。　I　could　not　understand　what　I　had　done　to　deserve　it　all。

I　accepted　the　invitation；　and　at　the　appointed　day　was　met　at　the　railway　station　at　Charleston　by　a　committee　headed　by　ex…Governor　W。A。　MacCorkle；　and　composed　of　men　of　both　races。　The　public　reception　was　held　in　the　Opera…House　at　Charleston。　The　Governor　of　the　state；　the　Hon。　George　W。　Atkinson；　presided；　and　an　address　of　welcome　was　made　by　ex…Governor　MacCorkle。　A　prominent　part　in　the　reception　was　taken　by　the　coloured　citizens。　The　Opera…House　was　filled　with　citizens　of　both　races；　and　among　the　white　people　were　many　for　whom　I　had　worked　when　I　was　a　boy。　The　next　day　Governor　and　Mrs。　Atkinson　gave　me　a　public　reception　at　the　State　House；　which　was　attended　by　all　classes。

Not　long　after　this　the　coloured　people　in　Atlanta；　Georgia；　gave　me　a　reception　at　which　the　Governor　of　the　state　presided；　and　a　similar　reception　was　given　me　in　New　Orleans；　which　was　presided　over　by　the　Mayor　of　the　city。　Invitations　came　from　many　other　places　which　I　was　not　able　to　accept。



Chapter　XVII。　Last　Words

Before　going　to　Europe　some　events　came　into　my　life　which　were　great　surprises　to　me。　In　fact；　my　whole　life　has　largely　been　one　of　surprises。　I　believe　that　any　man's　life　will　be　filled　with　constant；　unexpected　encouragements　of　this　kind　if　he　makes　up　his　mind　to　do　his　level　best　each　day　of　his　lifethat　is；　tries　to　make　each　day　reach　as　nearly　as　possible　the　high…water　mark　of　pure；　unselfish；　useful　living。　I　pity　the　man；　black　or　white；　who　has　never　experienced　the　joy　and　satisfaction　that　come　to　one　by　reason　of　an　effort　to　assist　in　making　some　one　else　more　useful　and　more　happy。

Six　months　before　he　died；　and　nearly　a　year　after　he　had　been　stricken　with　paralysis；　General　Armstrong　expressed　a　wish　to　visit　Tuskegee　again　before　he　passed　away。　Notwithstanding　the　fact　that　he　had　lost　the　use　of　his　limbs　to　such　an　extent　that　he　was　practically　helpless；　his　wish　was　gratified；　and　he　was　brought　to　Tuskegee。　The　owners　of　the　Tuskegee　Railroad；　white　men　living　in　the　town；　offered　to　run　a　special　train；　without　cost；　out　of　the　main　stationChehaw；　five　miles　awayto　meet　him。　He　arrived　on　the　school　grounds　about　nine　o'clock　in　the　evening。　Some　one　had　suggested　that　we　give　the　General　a　〃pine…knot　torchlight　reception。〃　This　plan　was　carried　out；　and　the　moment　that　his　carriage　entered　the　school　grounds　he　began　passing　between　two　lines　of　lighted　and　waving　〃fat　pine〃　wood　knots　held　by　over　a　thousand　students　and　teachers。　The　whole　thing　was　so　novel　and　surprising　that　the　General　was　completely　overcome　with　happiness。　He　remained　a　guest　in　my　home　for　nearly　two　months；　and；　although　almost　wholly　without　the　use　of　voice　or　limb；　he　spent　nearly　every　hour　in　devising　ways　and　means　to　help　the　South。　Time　and　time　again　he　said　to　me；　during　this　visit；　that　it　was　not　only　the　duty　of　the　country　to　assist　in　elevating　the　Negro　of　the　South；　but　the　poor　white　man　as　well。　At　the　end　of　his　visit　I　resolved　anew　to　devote　myself　more　earnestly　than　ever　to　the　cause　which　was　so　near　his　heart。　I　said　that　if　a　man　in　his　condition　was　willing　to　think；　work；　and　act；　I　should　not　be　wanting　in　furthering　in　every　possible　way　the　wish　of　his　heart。

The　death　of　General　Armstrong；　a　few　weeks　later；　gave　me　the　privilege　of　getting　acquainted　with　one　of　the　finest；　most　unselfish；　and　most　attractive　men　that　I　have　ever　come　in　contact　with。　I　refer　to　the　Rev。　Dr。　Hollis　B。　Frissell；　now　the　Principal　of　the　Hampton　Institute；　and　General　Armstrong's　successor。　Under　the　clear；　strong；　and　almost　perfect　leadership　of　Dr。　Frissell；　Hampton　has　had　a　career　of　prosperity　and　usefulness　that　is　all　that　the　General　could　have　wished　for。　It　seems　to　be　the　constant　effort　of　Dr。　Frissell　to　hide　his　own　great　personality　behind　that　of　General　Armstrongto　make　himself　of　〃no　reputation〃　for　the　sake　of　the　cause。

More　than　once　I　have　been　asked　what　was　the　greatest　surprise　that　ever　came　to　me。　I　have　little　hesitation　in　answering　that　question。　It　was　the　following　letter；　which　came　to　me　one　Sunday　morning　when　I　was　sitting　on　the　veranda　of　my　home　at　Tuskegee；　surrounded　by　my　wife　and　three　children：

Harvard　University；　Cambridge；　May　28；　1896。

President　Booker　T。　Washington；

My　Dear　Sir：　Harvard　University　desired　to　confer　on　you　at　the　approaching　Commencement　an　honorary　degree；　but　it　is　our　custom　to　confer　degrees　only　on　gentlemen　who　are　present。　Our　Commencement　occurs　this　year　on　June　24；　and　your　presence　would　be　desirable　from　about　noon　till　about　five　o'clock　in　the　afternoon。　Would　it　be　possible　for　you　to　be　in　Cambridge　on　that　day？

Believe　me；　with　great　regard；

Very　truly　yours；

Charles　W。　Eliot。


This　was　a　recognition　that　had　never　in　the　slightest　manner　entered　into　my　mind；　and　it　was　hard　for　me　to　realize　that　I　was　to　be　honoured　by　a　degree　from　the　oldest　and　most　renowned　university　in　America。　As　I　sat　upon　my　veranda；　with　this　letter　in　my　hand；　tears　came　into　my　eyes。　My　whole　former　lifemy　life　as　a　s