The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1890-01-09
Through Struggle to Victory
A STORY.
IN SIXTEEN HAPTERs.-cHAP. XII.
Published by permission of The Coner<gafionalist
IN COLLEGE.

a few hundred dollars in the bank,
which had been saved from the
wreck of the estate With hard Ia
Dor, strict economy, and Gods bless
ing, we hoped to be able to live
without mourning any debt till my
course of study should be finished
one year and one term in college,
and three years in the theological
seminary,
had been out of college two
years, and found it hard work at
first to take my old place, and main
tain my standing in the class. How
ever, I soon became accustomed tC
study, and the work grew easier. |
obtained the scholarship and a free
room. I also received aid from the
Educational Society, and other
favors from members of the Faculty
| expected to return home when
the term closed, to spend the long
vacation, but my chum had engaged
to serve as waiter in a White Noun
tain hotel where he had been the
previous year, and offered to secure
a place for me [ gladly accepted
the offer, as what | should earn
would help me defray my expenses
the next year.
This was a disappointment to mo-
Their and Nellie. But it seemed to
be duty for me to go to Crawford
House instead of my home, and we
submitted They wrote me often,
and [ never left a letter unanswered
To dard the end of the term. Nellie
had written me this: "Mary has not
been in our cottage since you went
away. She has not once spoken to
mother orme. She need not hate US
if she and you have quarreled. She
is not very well and is going to
travel a few weeks with her father"
These we're the only words which
had heard concerning her.
When the term ended | went to
Mountains. The work was not very
hard, and the compensation quite
good. We respected ourselves
and were respected by others. We
had for our associates young ladies
from the higher classes in ladies
seminaries, who were acting as wait
ers in those mountain resorts in or
der to earn money to help defray
their expenses. On the whole, l
rather enioyed nv work. But one
day, in the hight of the season, when
the Crawford House was crowded
with guests, Mary and her father
walked quietly into the dining-room
and were assigned to my section.
This was contingency which had
not expected. 1t was perfect sur
prise. AS my eyes met those Of
Mary, she flushed instantly, but in
every other respect she retained her
Composure. This was not the faint
est manifestation of recognition on
the part of either.
She found me in the place where
negroes are usually employed, and
she was shocked | was trying to
earn an honest living, and still it
was extremely humiliating to see
her proud lip curl with scorn and
contempt.
But this was no time or place to
hesitate. [ turned aside and helped
others till l could perfectly com
mand my nerves, and then I offered
to serve them. He recognized my
voice when | addressed him, offered
me his hand and said: why, John,
you here! l thought they expected
you at home this vacatlon?"
81 expected to go till few days
before the term closed, but quite a
number of our class were coming
here and they gave me a chance.
l can earn something to help me
through next term. could not
earn much at home, so l came 1t
is step down, but l must work
somewhere. 1t is humiliating to
take the place of negroes, but it is
not dishonorable | hope" l was
glad to make this explanation.
at is honorable to do honest
work anywhere for an honest pur-
pose, said he. l served them three
days; it was not very delightful SER
vice, but there was no escape, and I
went through it. She did not recog-
nize me during the time, our eyes
did not meet again. We treated
each other in the most polite and
formal manner, and no one would
ever have surmised that we were not
perfect strangers. Her father had a
kind word for me every time we
met, expressed a wish that l might
prosper, and pressed a ten dollar
bank-note into my hand when he
went away At the beginning of
the term l returned to college,
taught long term of school in the
winter and graduated near tha baad