CHAPTER II.

BOYHOOD IN WEST VIRGINIA.

Beginning Life in West Virginia--Author Sees a Negro Reading a Newspaper in Malden which Kindles His First Ambition--He Learns His Letters while Working in Coal Mines and Salt Furnaces--Attends His First School--Author Gives Himself a Surname--He Turns Forward the Hands of the Clock to Enable Him to Get to School on Time--Author Learns of Sunday School from an Old Man and Becomes a Regular Attendant--Some Experiences in the Coal Mines--Author Goes to Live with the Family of Gen. Lewis Ruffner--He Runs Away, but Returns--Some Experiences as a Market Boy while Working for Mrs. Ruffner--Mrs. Ruffner, Author’s Estimate of Her--Author Hears of the Hampton Institute while Working in the Coal Mines and Resolves to go There--Joins the Baptist Church in Malden Before Leaving for Hampton--Still a Member of This Church.