Also, while working at the coal-mine, I heard about a job opening in the household of General Lewis Ruffner, the owner of the coal-mine. His wife, Mrs. Viola Ruffner, was a "Yankee" woman from Vermont. She had a reputation throughout for being very strict on her servants.

Most of her servants left after a few weeks because of her strictness. But I decided would rather take my chances with her than stay at the coal-mine. So my mother applied for me to her, and I was hired for $5 per month.

I had heard so much about her severity that I was afraid to meet her. But after a few weeks I began to understand her. What she wanted was for every thing to be kept clean. She wanted things to be done properly and in order. And above all, she wanted absolute frankness and honesty. Nothing was to be done slipshod. Every door and fence must be kept in repair.