CHAPTER III.

LIFE AT HAMPTON INSTITUTE.

Author Starts for Hampton in 1872--The Journey--How Made--Sleeping Under Sidewalk in Richmond--Unloads Pig Iron from a Vessel in Richmond and Thereby Earns Money Enough to Continue the Journey to Hampton--Arrives at Hampton--Sees Miss Mary F. Mackie, the Lady Principal--Undergoes a “Sweeping Examination” and is Admitted as a Student--Author Sees Gen. Armstrong for the First Time--First and Last Impressions of Him--Hampton Institute when Author First Entered It--His Connection with the Debating Societies--His Destitute Condition at Hampton--After Two Years at Hampton, Author Spends Vacation at Home in Malden--Death of His Mother--He is Graduated at Hampton in 1875--Some Helpful Friends at Hampton, Misses Nathalie Lord and Elizabeth Brewer--Goes as a Waiter to Saratoga Springs.