Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-04-27
A TRUE STORY.
INTERESTING RECOLLECTIONS OF
THE BULGARIAN WAR.
Thrilling Scenes During the Russo Turk-
ish Struggle-Unteld Sufrerings and
sorrow.

to us and to some of our readoI a. as an in tel
ligent ans reliable young Bulgarian, who
now pursuing his studies in the University y
vermont with view to returning 10 his owl
country as missionary. ED. FREE PRESS.
The story which am going to tell il
not romance, but simple true nara
ton of the events | saw and experienced
in my early life. l know that to write
good story, in English, l should hav,
more knowledge of the language ant
more experience in writing it. than pos
sess. l was born in a country where
had no opportunity to develop my mind
Ny own language is very strange to Eng
llshmen, and nay people were quite litter
ate, SO that one born there could hardly
learn or know much in his early life. But
God has wonderfully opened my eyes to
learn " hat is most necessary for me and
perhaps for others.
The first | saw Of the English language
was about five years ago, in school
taught by missionaries IN my own land
1t was as hard for me to study and speak
rs the diamond is hard to cut, but it
seemed to me as useful and precious as
the diamond is. liked it very much and
studied it with great zeal But was
very slow in learning. 1t was very hard
words as "cat," rat" "fat." And often
got discouraged but never stopped doing
all | could. One day classmate of mine
said to me: You will never be good
scholar, you will never know history, Ian
guage, science or art ; you are good for a
shepherd who likes his sheep and lambs
better than human society. If you be-
come learned man, l will toss up my
cap in the air and it will fly up to the sky
to proclaim you to all the people on the
face of the globe as a great man." He
hurt me by this, you know, for ! hoped to
learn something while in school, but
could not help it. l could not blame him
for thinking me fit for such an Office rs
shepherd, because l liked my fathers
farm better than the city, and loved his
pretty calves, sheep and lambs better than
society.
When | first went to school, l knew
nothing of the world and was very super
stitious. | believed that the earth was
like circle, and that those who lived on
its circumference could touch the sky and
20 to heaven any time they pleased. OF
course, my teachers, schoolmates and all
around me, noticed what kind of a craa-
ture was. My teachers, whom | loved
and TO whom l owe much for my educa-
ton, were doubtless discouraged at trying
TO make me useful man, but they never
told me that | was not good scholar
My classmates called me slave, because
loved and obeyed my teachers who were
American missionaries, but thank God
that did what they instructed me to do
have no reason to regret Low that
obeyed them and worked hard.
will not try to tell you how | have
educated myself so far, because this is a
long story, but will inform you about a
small part of the experiences had in six
months during the Turko- Russian war in
1877. Those months seem to me like a
dream /; for | was a small boy then, but
remember everything that | experienced
and learned-I remember the good and
the bad-tbe Joy and the sorrow-the
pleasant times and hard times. Let me
tell you what | mean by this.
was born in East Roumela, Europe,
my father was good farmer. So far as
know the genealogy of my family through
record, we are descendants OF noble
family. Five hundred years ago my fore
father was agOvernor in East Roumelia |
Bnt when the Turks invaded our country, |
ne lost his position as governor, and be- |
came simple farmer. God, however, |
blessed him and his descendants, so that
thCJ louLu ptttCe anu Satisfaction even I
under the cruel hand. They decided TO
stay i'll that beautiful country hoping that
sometime the Just Hand would help them |
to shake off the burden, the slavery and |
be free people. But this was never full |
filled in their day All the Christian cru
saders who went to help them, tighten
their burden, were repulsed, dispersed and |
enslaved.
Ny forefathers We're earnest Christians.
The Billie which they possessed and read
was made of skin nearly 900 years ago.
The work was all done by hand, the words |
were written with different colors of ink ,
according to their meaning, and SO care !
fully that you hardly could find single
mistake. 1t was written in the Greek
language. had the privilege to see this
precious book once, but 10 years ago my
city was burned by the Turks, and this
dear book and my grandmother, l25 years
of age persisted in the flames | often
think OF this holy book and the men who
possessed and read it with great earnest
ness and faith.
My father and mother were people with
good influence, habits and reputation.
They did not know much of the world,
but they knew what was good, noble and
useful. They were on the right side.
Ihey loved ne more than | thought they
did, and loved them. Their desire for
man in the world. Ny mother taught me
from small child to love God and his
precious words. She punished me when
provoked Him by disobedience and I'M
reasonableness. well remember one day,
When storm was coming, with hard
thunder and lightning, that / was sit
ting on the bank D the stream near my
lathers house, and told my playmates
that God was not kind, because he sent so
hard storm To wet all the shepherds and
pretty lambs aud calves in the field. But
my mother heard me and punished me
and told me | must never do tbot a0oi, I
she often told me that she prayed for me
TO be good boy.
i grew rapidly and soon became a boy
proud that God had given nue. wealthy "a
rents who could give me all needed and
all enjoyed. saw many poor and needy
around me, but had to care for nothing.
was dearer 10 my mother ANA father than
the pupils Of their eyes, | could at any
time place my head III the lap of my pa
rents when was not feeling well aud
find rest. But this did not last long.
Trouble came in my country And father