When I got there I found the waiting rooms full of people, and my heart began to sink, for I feared there would not be much chance of my seeing the President that day, if at all.

But, at any rate, I got an opportunity to see Mr.J.Addison Porter, the secretary to the President, and explained to him my mission.

Mr.Porter kindly sent my card directly to the President, and in a few minutes word came from Mr.
McKinley that he would see me.
How any man can see so many people of all kinds, with all kinds of errands, and do so much hard work, and still keep himself calm, patient, and fresh for each visitor in the way that President McKinley does, I cannot understand.

When I saw the President he kindly thanked me for the work which we were doing at Tuskegee for the interests of the country.

I then told him, briefly, the object of my visit.