We were there too soon and we had to
wait for work, and I went around and made myself known to the white
people. They soon called on me to come and do work for them, and the
first was a Mrs. Carpenter, a good lady. She then got her married
daughter to have me to work for her family and they were a fine family.
Her daughter's husband was a grand studio man on Broadway, doing a good
business. Then she sent me to another friend of hers, and my sister and
I could live for a while. When the rush came I did not forget the one
who had helped me, but went to her two days out of a week, for she had
her house filled with boarders, and the Summer was all a blessing to her
and her family.
There was Mrs. Purdy, who was another one of my friends, for I did work
for her laundry for three years, and she said whenever I came to the
Springs and wanted work to come to her; if the house was filled there
was room for me. So you see how God did open the way for me in that
strange and lonely place, where there are so many that go there for the
Summer looking for work. I went out of the house where we were stopping
and got the washing and brought it home to my sister, for she would not
go out of the house as she had not been from the place where she lived
before. I got her to go with me to help me with the work, and it was
coming in so fast I had to get a white lady to help us to get through,
for the colored people said that we would not get work as the laws were
passed to keep the New York workers out, and I told them that they would
have to pass laws to keep the rich people of New York from coming there
to board if they should keep the workers out; so I did not hear to that,
and found the way for I had the will, and where there is a will there is
always a way.
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