The morning times., 1896-09-13
.BOYHOOD OF N|KOLA TESLA |
Famous Inventor Was Born in
a Half Civilized Land.
SON OF A GREEK PRIEST
He Was a Studious Aouth. but Full
of Fun--built Flying Machine
at Tweive-f1is Education.

In all probability Nikola Tesla knows more
about electricity than any other man iiv-
ing. He stands at the head OF those who
in the In st twenty years have done so much
TO forge the bonds that have made the
mystic current the useful slave OF human
kind And yet Nikola Tesla's boyhood was
mostly passed in a region where people
are hardly more than half civilized In their
ways; region over which Mosletn ana
Christian have waged bloody combat for
centuries; a region OF rugged, bleak noun
tains and narrow valleys and impetuous,
rushing torrents. This region is known as
Montencgro; il is narrow strip or coun-
try that lies between Austria and Turkey,
and it tax es its name from its somber noun
tains.
Nikola was born in the little village Of
Smilsan, province OF Lika, less than forty
years ago. His father was a clergyman
of the Greek church, to which most Chris
tians in Montenegro belong, and all through
the boys early years his most numerous
acquaintances must have been among the
rough pea asants OF the neighborhood, some OF
whom Were poor beyond description and
many of whom were SO ignoraut.that they
could not even read.
A STRONG RACE.
But in spite of their lack of cultivation
and of cash, the peasant me u nd women Of
Montenegro are fine, strong folk, seeming
to possess something OF the ruggedness Of
their surroundings in their own persons.
They are brave, too, and they love their
rali, N
Nikola must have heard many tales of
heroic deeds done by his fathers friends
and neighbors in self -defeuse against the
Turks. who wished to rule the land and
to force the people TO change their faith.
An American boy could hardly imagine
anything more novel and strange than
were this boys surroundings. Every man
in Montenegro knows how to handle the
rifle and all other weapons. for he is likely
TO have need of them at almost any time.
and everyone is an expert fisherman and
hunter. They dress in the brightest Colors,
and even the poorc st often wear clothes that
are richly embroidered and other wise orna-
meDtcd. The women, too, attire themselves
in what would here he rcga rded a fantastic
.irb. bat aside from what little farm work
isdune b. the men, they donearly all the la
Dor OF the country. Sometimes women do
much OF the outside work. even. and with
out complaint-for have not the menenough
to do to attend the fighting and the politics
of the country. and the shooting OF game?
1t is partly due to the attention given
by the men TO other things &an work.
and partly to the ruggedness of tile re-
giop, that the people OF Montenegro are
so poor and SO ignorant in the mass.
Just how backward they are as TO the
comforts OF life may be family hinted
by the statement that in some parts Of
the country furtheSt removed from the
larger towns. the bread is baked with
out yeast, in the ashes of open fires, there
beng no ovens OF any sort. nor even
chimBeys to carry off the smoke.
The Moptenegrins speak language that
would seem extremely queer TO American
boys. 1t is described by linguis,s as
pure dialect of the Slavic" and is the
nearest OF all languages TO the original
Slavonic into which the Bible was trans
lated, nearly a thousand years ago, for
the benefit of the peoples OF Central Europe.
But is must not lie understood that all
those who dw ell in Montenegro are ig-
norant and uncultivated AS a people
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Among their leaders. too, are many
who are highly cultivated TpSla's faith
ei' "'ne piies'' ue ""'' VI 'o"'' Oh
e'"cd'ea HAM, anu IL was Piooa"' "e-
ca'ise he saw That his SOD couid not DO MS
best I'D Montenegro that the boy was sent
away from home at IL
"hen only htte iad Nikoia was very
Iohu Oh s'aoE- Not altogether 'he STUDY oi
h'ohs' out largely OF thihes' Tor, IKE all
heai'hy boys. he was Interested IN an that
ne saw about him. His earliest notion was
uiat IL was pity mat man shouid nave
10 cliinb the nils with which his home was
surrounded, since hIrds could fiytFherever
they wished TO go. and with such small
apparent effort. So, when only n little
chap OF twelve he sat ABOUT making N.Y.
ing machine, using an old umbrella Tor the
foundation. Undoubtedly he mad The
same general Ideas that were later adopted
by Herr Liliieithal, the German, who was
Killed the other day In one OF lis expert
ments, Tor like Lillienthal. young Tesla's
plan was TO start his flight by jumping from
the top OF hill His interest In flying died
OUT, however, when he and was SO badly
hurt that he hadto sta y in bedfor six weeks
HE BEGAN TO STUDY
IT was while no was laid i'm bp this ar.
and mastered arithmetic He had an idea
:, =, :,