The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-03-25
Our &ops ano Girls.
Story OF a Bulgarian Boy.

While up in the Balkan Mountains
caring for sheep, poor Bulgarian boy
in some way heard of Roberts College
and the education that was given there,
and he resolved to go and ask for adj
mittance.
He travelled alone on foot all the
distance, and at last appeared before
the gates of that institution. He
stated what he had come for, but was
refused admittance, as the college was
already full.
HI could not have presented very
encouraging appearance as he stood
there, that ignorant boy of fifteen.
His dress consisted of trousers and vest
of sheepskin, with large garment of
the same material which was worn over
the head, forming peaked cap, which
also came down over his shoulders and
served as cloak. He looked very
much like an Esquimaux. Do you
think their refusal to admit him salts
fed him2 BY no means. He said he
must come to the college, and he would
work for them.
They told him they had no place for
him to sleep; but, as that did not dis
courage him, the faculty came together
to consider the case.
Finally, it was decided to give him
the care of thirty-two stoves in the
building, saying this would soon test
him, believing that some morning they
would wake to find the boy gone to
his mountains and his sheep. They led
him into the basement where was a
! perfectly cold room, with no furniture
in it: this, they told him, was the best
they could do for him.
He appeared delighted and said that
it was better than he had been accus-
toned to at home. Even the prospect
of the thirty-two stoves did not discour-
age him, and he set to work at once to
fit up his quarters. He dragged into
his room a large, empty box. This he
filled with sawdust, of which he found
an abundance near the wood-pile over
which he was to preside. This furn-
ished him his bed.
AS he went about his work, he at
tracted the attention and sympathy OF
the young men of the college, and one
gave him a pair of shoes, another q
coat, and so on, until he began to look
more like human being, and, best OF
all, the students, between them, found
time to teach him his letters; and il
was a curious sight to see this poor
boy, every evening after his work was
finished, sitting in his box of sawdus
to avoid the dampness of the stone
floor, his little piece of candle fastened
to nail on another box, porting ovel
his book.
At last, it was decided that his fidel
ity to his work deserved wages; and ht
was regularly hired, and told that if hi
could find time to fit himself for tn,
preparatory course" he might ente
college the following year. This was
much doubted. However, with thu
assistance of the young men, he 81
fitted himself that the question wa
not, Can he keep up with his class
but, Can his class keep up with him?
A benevolent lady in Massachusetts
furnished scholarship for him, and Ia
finished the course with credit and i
now a Christian worker among his OWL
people.
Now one word to any boy who read
this account. We are often discour
aged with boys and girls in this country
Is it because they know so little? b
no means that alone, but they seem t.
lack proper determination to ever know
any nore-they have so little energ
and enthusiasm, and are so easily dis
cOuraged.
Can we not all learn a lesson fror
this poor Bulgarian boy, who carried
brave heart and determined will, an
who came out triumphant iSsiOnor
RenOrter