Then an interesting thing happened. Have you noticed how often something interesting turned up with Washington? Perhaps there is a good reason for it. “Nothing ever comes to one, that is worth having, except as a result of hard work,” Washington himself has said. It was not just an accident after all that these good things were happening. It was because Washington by his work and his good sense had made lasting impressions upon people who were in positions to give him help. This is what happened. While thinking about how he could get the ten thousand dollars for Alabama Hall, he received a letter from General Armstrong, asking if he would agree to go with him on a tour of the North; if so, to come to Hampton at once. Washington was delighted and accepted the invitation. To his great surprise he found that General Armstrong had planned to take a quartette of singers from Hampton and go himself with Washington on a tour of the North in the interests of Tuskegee. Washington thought the trip was planned for Hampton, of course, and, when he found that General Armstrong had been so unselfish as to plan it for him, he was overcome with gratitude. They had a great trip. General Armstrong had Washington do most of the speaking. “Give them an idea for every word,” he said to Washington as they started. And Washington did. It was on this trip that Washington first introduced Tuskegee to the people of the North, and that the people first got acquainted with Washington. When he returned from this trip, he was able to begin work on Alabama Hall, and it was soon completed and paid for. From this time on Washington went North a great deal to speak publicly and to talk privately to men about the needs of Tuskegee. He met a great many rich men. He had many interesting experiences with them. He did not “beg” from them. He says he always followed two simple rules in this work: first, to do his full duty in presenting the needs of the school, and, second, not to worry about the results. He found these rich men unlike what he had expected. He said they were among the best and kindest and most generous people in the world. While he sometimes received discourteous treatment, as a rule he was gladly received and treated with great respect, and help was gladly given. Three of the rich men who helped Washington a great deal were: Collis P. Huntington, the great railroad builder; H. H. Rogers, of the Standard Oil Company; and Andrew Carnegie, the philanthropist, who had made a fortune in the steel industry. Washington says that the first time he interviewed Mr. Huntington he received a donation of two dollars. Two dollars from a multi-millionaire! But the last donation he received from Mr. Huntington was a check for fifty thousand dollars. And between the two gifts there had been gifts of many thousands. Mr. Rogers also gave many thousands of dollars and helped particularly in the great extension work of the college. [Illustration: