The disappointment was made all the more severe by reason of the fact that my place of work was where I could see the happy children passing to and from school mornings and afternoons.
Despite this disappointment, however, I determined that I would learn something, anyway.

I applied myself with greater earnestness than ever to the mastering of what was in the "blue-back" speller.
My mother sympathized with me in my disappointment, and sought to comfort me in all the ways she could, and to help me find a way to learn.

After a while I succeeded in making arrangements with the teacher to give me some lessons at night, after the day's work was done.

These night lessons were so welcome that I think I learned more at night than the other children did during the day.

My own experiences in the night-school gave me faith in the night-school idea, with which, in after years, I had to do both at Hampton and Tuskegee.