Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1877-03-06
From the Christian Mirror.
Story of a Maine Boy.

More than thirty years ago pale,
spare looking young man in one of the
rooms in "Old Bowdoin," down in Maine
where the pine trees grow. was busy
with a tiny screw. After days of hard
studying he would be found evening
after evening polishing the bill of steel
until it had received beautiful finish.
Strange work for q student, will some
one say
This was undertaken for one of the
professors, who had pet in the form Of
wonderful little theodolite which was
perfection itself and pleased everybody /;
but all at once il seemed out OF tune. and
on taking it to the watch makers it was
iound that one little screw was loose,
and must be attended to. The watch
maker declared this must be removed
and another put in its place. When he
returned the instrument to the professor
Is beauty was greatly marred, and the
old gentleman could hardly believe that
it was his iayorite. While mourning
over this change our young collegian
came in, and seeing the distress Of his
beloved teacher, said with some earnest
ness, 81 can do better than that" The
professor did not stop to ask for his
reasons but passed the theodolite TO the
young man. and it WAS for this he was so
earnestly working. In due time it was
returned, and the professor was over
joyed. l presume the young man also
became pet from that day. but of that
do not know.
The polishing Of this screw led the
young man into temptation. The steam
engine was making great noise about
that time, rather more of q newspaper
noise than the putting and blowing of the
present day, that makes one feel like
putting both hands TO his head when the
yell Of its war whoop is heard; enough
to call up all the dead Indians for many
miles. Whether it was his love for this
wonderful invention or his skill in polish
ing steel which led to this cannot say,
but think it may have been the former.
He is busy again. Long evenings find
him at work till beautiful engine comes
out from that college workshop. perfect
in all its parts. But alas a debt of seventy
five dollars stares him in the face; q
thing not to be laughed at by a poor COL
lege boy. What will he do ? The college
library is ransacked and bookstore too,
to find books on the steam engine. Our
Students lamp is the last to 90 out In the
college. He is looking thinner and paler
than before. This is all accounted for
when lecture on the steam engine is
announced. and the young man goes forth
armed and equipped for his work. His
debt is paid. and the trustees OF the col
lege wait on him with the offer OF S75
for his engine, and It now grsces the cab
met of Bowdoiu College.
After finishing his studies in college
and seminary. this young man found his
way to the old city OF Constantine on the
beautiful Golden Horn and there became
the teacher Of school to raise up young
men for the gospel ministry among the
Armenians of Asia Minor. After teach
ing several years the Crimean war broke
out and all his pupils but one went to be
Interpreters for the English army. Times
were hard. and the Protestant Armenians
were suffering for work by which they
might obtain bread.
The missionary teacher went TO an
English gentleman OF wealth residing at
Constantinople and offered to open mill
and bakery and supply the English army
with good fresh bread. if he would sd-
vance tie money. 81 will provide the
money" said the gentleman, "but you
can never get permission from the Turks
to open a mill" 81 will, said the teach
er. The turks were in tight place, the
Russians on one eide and the English
army on the other suffering for bread.
Surely this ally must have good bread or
they would leave, and the Russian bear
come down upon them in great rage
This would never do; their conservatism
gave way, and the Yankee put up his
mill. ground his flour. and gave work to
hundreds of hungry men. and bread to
an army. He paid the Englishman and
had large sun left. He was not seek
ing his own but others good. so he de-
voted this to aid in building chapels
for the poor Christians in the Turkish
Empire.
A princely merchant from New York
city went up the Black Sea to look upon
the ruins of Sebastopol. His attention
was arrested by the bread. He learned
what this countryman of his had done.
He returned to Constantinople. sought
an introduction to this man, and was so
we'll pleased with him. that he offered 10
found Christian college for Turkey in
old classic Constantinople, the "Key OF
three continents" if this untiripg young
man from the Pine Tree State would
take charge of it. Go with me now to
the old city, where we will not pause but
pass on up the Bosphorus to Bebek (the
holy), and then a short distance you