ice of his life. When the discoverers
of America first came in contact with the Red Men they may have thought
them to be superior to the negroes; but from that day to this they have
practically made no progress, and to-day appear to be more than ever a
dying nation. It was quite in keeping with the philanthropic General
Armstrong to attempt to befriend and raise such tribes, but even he must
have realised how vastly greater was the return in the case of the
negroes.

As has been shown, in the years which followed the general emancipation,
the coloured people showed the most eager desire to obtain some kind of
education. It happened that at Hampton there was a large number outside
of the Institute who were of this class, and when it was resolved to
found a night school for their benefit Booker Washington was requested
to undertake its superintendence. These evening classes were to be a
kind of preparatory school for such as might afterwards attend the day
school of the Institute, and the conditions of their receiving two
hours' nightly instruction were sufficiently onerous to deter any from
coming forward but the most determined enthusiasts. A long, hard day's
work had to be fulfilled before they could think of joining their class.
It is no wonder that such scholars are now doing well in the world. The
school is still continued at Hampton, but the scholars have increased
from tens to hundreds.

So far throughout the course of his working life Booker Washington has
never lost faith in his own people, and, while using his opportunities
to benefit them, no hard-working leader has ever had fewer
disappointments. While American politicians, sometimes with bated
breath, have been talking about the problems of the Southern Black Belt,
this far-sighted negro has clearly seen that ten millions of the
coloured race in the wide territory of the South is rather an advantage
to be thankful for than "a problem" to create dismay. How readily the
young negro men and women can adapt themselves to circumstances, and
benefit others of their own race while making a position for themselves,
is constantly being proved. The fact is confirmed by many independent
witnesses hailing from different quarters. We close this chapter by
another passage on this subject by Professor Shaler, in _Appleton's
Popular Science Monthly_, and quoted, with admiration, by Booker
Washington himself in _The International Monthly_:--

"Moreover, the production of