The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-08-30

he was fourteen. He entered the army
preparatory to being sent to the imperial
military school at Vienna.
Young Spiro got along spleudidly and
was looking forward In high hopes 10 his
transfer to Vienna, when his cup was
dashed to the ground. The captain of the
com pany had a son of his OVID, and he
appointed him in the stead of Sargentich.
This so greved the latter that he deserted.
and, passing through the mountains of
Montenegro, he arrived at Cettinje.
At Cettinje was Prince Nikola, a vener-
able ruler. who patterned after the patri-
archs in his solicitude for the welfare of
his subjects. He held public divan each
day, at which complaints and pleas of all
sorts were made to him personally by his
subjects. To him then went young Sargen-
itch with the tale of his cruel treatment
and his poverty. The Primes listened
kindly and interested himself to such an
extent that Sargeniich was given a school
to teach in the Montenegrin mountains,
near the Turkish line. He taught the
sons of the warlke Albanians for two
years. aud was then transferred to Velike.
Teaching school at Velike in those DAYS
was nearly as exciting as attending church
was to the Pilgrim Fathers. 1t was neces-
sary to arm to the teeth and there was al
ways that feeling present that you might
wake up any moment and find Turkish
scimeter b ad gone clear through you. The
soldiers of the Sultan and the ruthless
Turkish brigands were wont 70 swoop
down on remote villages to murder and
burn and plumber. and it behooved every
man to carry arms to protect himself and
the community.
So. when Sargentich became pedagogue
at Velike he did as his predecessors had
became volunteer soldier and could be
seen every morning and evening of his
incumbency of the position. plodding to
and from the schoolhouse armed to the
teeth. On several occasions while right in
the midst of the multiplication table or
some other equally enhancing occupation,
the wild alarums noting the oncoming of
the savage Turks brought him out along
with his fellow. citizens to meet the on
| coming foe.
He survived it all, however. and two
years ago last spring he resolved to come
| to America. He was compelled to borrow
the money and landed in the West in Au-
| gust of 1892, penniless, friendless, in big
| country, not understanding one word of
the language. He secured a position as
second cook in beanery at the munifcent
remuneration OF $15 per month. The fry
ing Of the beans, the modest emblems of
| Boston culture. probably first caused the
idea Of university education to enter his
head. At any rate, at the end of year he
decided that he would abandon culinary
pursuits to enter upon the road that would
lead to thorough American education.
His work prevented his studying a great
deal and he finally quit ii, going to Berke-
ley early last year determined te enter the
State University by hook or by crook.
With just 81 in his pocket he had made
up his mind to enter in August. He was
allowed to occupy Stiles Hall during the
vacation and search for work resulted in
his being appointed milkman 10 the COW
of one of the professors, for which he was
10 receive So per month.
For three months the solitary gaslighi
sh0ne out of the darkness OF the great
hall, marking the heroic struggle of the
young Servian In his efforts to master the
academic course and the language in which
1T was written in just one short quarter
1t was hard work, this struggle. made
many day on an empty stomach, but il
ended trlumphantly az last. The exami-
nations came and at their close il was
found the young Sargentich had passed
without condition, making firsts in an
Gent history and the Government of the
United States. His handling OF the Ian
guage was somewhat poor, but this was
taken into consideration by the examiners.
Last Monday the young man entered
upon the collegiate course. He proposes
to study hard for seven years. and although
he is without money to buy books or pay
his matriculation fee he is plodding stead