ADOPTED AND SENT TO SCHOOL.
Mr. and Mrs. Myers had no children and after I had been with them about
a month, they proposed to adopt me, or at least they made me promise to
stay with them until I was twenty-one years of age.
They were to send me to school until I was seventeen and then start me
in business. They also promised to give me everything they had at their
death.
So they prepared me for school right away. As I was not very far
advanced in book learning, having forgotten nearly all that Mr. Hale
taught me, they thought I had better go to Fisk's public school until I
got a start.
I had not been going to this school long when I had trouble with the
lady teacher, Miss Finnely. It happened thus: A boy sitting behind me,
struck me on the neck with a slate pencil, and when I turned around and
accused him of it he whispered, "you lie." I gave him a lick on the nose
that made him bawl like a calf.
Of course the teacher heard it and called us up to take our medicine.
She made the other boy hold out his hand first and after giving him five
raps told him to take his seat.
It was then my time, and I stuck out my hand like a little man. She gave
me five licks and was raising the rule to strike again when I jerked my
hand away, at the same time telling her that it wasn't fair to punish me
the most when the other boy caused the fuss. She insisted on giving me a
little more so finally I held out my hand and received five more licks
and still she was not satisfied; but I was and went to my seat. She told
me two or three times to come back but I would not do it, so she sent a
boy upstairs after Mr. Dyer, the gentleman who taught the large boys.
I had seen Mr. Dyer try his hand on boys, at several different times,
therefore didn't intend to let him get hold of me if I could help it.
She saw me looking towards the door, so she came over and stood between
me and it.
I heard Mr. Dyer coming down the stairs; that was enough; I flew for the
door. I remember running against something soft and knocking it over and
suppose it must have been Miss Finnely. When I got to the street I
pulled straight for home.
About a week afterwards Mr. Myers sent me to pay school, where I was
taught German, French and English. My teacher was an old gentleman who
only took a few select scholars.
Everything went on fine until the following spring, in May or June, when
I got into a fuss with one of the scholars and skipped the country.
The way it happened: One day when school let out for dinner we all,
after emptying our dinner baskets, struck out for the "green" to play
"foot and a half."
There was one boy in the crowd by the name of Stemcamp who was always
trying to pick a fuss with me. He was twice as large as I was, therefore
I tried to avoid him, but this time he called me a liar and I made for
him.
During the scuffle which followed, I got out my little pearl handled
knife, one "Miss Mary" had given me just a few days before and was
determined to use it the first opportunity.
I was down on all fours and he astride of my back putting it to me in
the face, underhanded. The only place I could get at with the knife was
his legs, so I stuck it in up to the handle, on the inside of one leg,
just below the groin and ripped down.
He jumped ten feet in the air and roared out "Holy Moses!"
As soon as I regained my feet he took to his heels, but I soon overtook
him and got another dig at his back. I thought sure I had done him up
for good this time but found out afterwards that I had done no harm,
with the exception of ripping his clothes down the back.
The next day at that time I was on my way to Saint Louis. I had stowed
myself away on board of the "Mollie Able" among the cotton bales.
The second night out we had a blow up. One of the cylinder-heads blew
out of the engine. It nearly killed the engineer and fireman, also
several other persons.
A little negro boy--who was stealing his passage--and I were sleeping on
a pile of lumber close to the engine when she went off. We both got
pretty badly scalded.
The steamer ran ashore and laid there until morning and then went the
balance of the way on one wheel. It took us just eight days from that
time to get to Saint Louis.
I remained in Saint Louis one day without food--not caring to visit the
"Planters" or any of my acquaintances--and then walked to Lebanon, Ill.,
twenty-five miles. I thought may be I might find out through some of my
Lebanon friends where mother and sister were.
It was nearly noon when I struck out on my journey and nine o'clock at
night when I arrived at my destination. I went straight to Mrs. Bell's,
where sister had worked, but failed to hear a word of mother and
sister's whereabouts.
Mrs. Bell gave me a good bed that night and next morning I struck out to
hunt a job.
After considerable tramping around I found work with one of my old
employers, a Mr. Jacobs, who lived twelve miles from town.
I only worked a short while when I began to wish I was back under "Miss
Mary's" wing. So one morning I quit and pulled for Saint Louis.
I had money enough to pay my fare to Saint Louis and I arrived there
just as the "Robert E. Lee" and "Natchez" were fixing to pull out on
their big race for New Orleans.
The "Robert E. Lee" being my favorite boat, I jumped aboard just as she
was shoving off. Of course I had to keep hidden most of the time,
especially when the captain or purser were around. I used to get my
chuck from the cook who thought I was a bully boy.
The "Natchez" would have beaten, no doubt, but she got too smart by
trying to make a cut-off through an old canal opposite Memphis and got
stuck in the mud.
The first thing after landing in New Orleans, I hunted up one of my boy
friends and found out by him how my victim was getting on. He informed
me that he was up and hobbling about on crutches. He also stated that
the poor fellow came very near losing his leg. I concluded if they did
have me arrested that Mr. Myers was able to help me out, so I braced up
and struck out for home.
Mr. and Mrs. Myers were terribly tickled over my return. They had an
awful time though getting me scrubbed up again, as I was very black and
dirty.
A few days after my return Mr. Myers went to see my same old teacher to
find out whether he would take me back or not. At first he said that no
money could induce him to be bothered with me again, but finally Mr.
Myers talked him into the notion of trying me once more.
So the next morning I shouldered my books and struck out for school to
take up my same old studies, German, French and English.