Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-10-13
A GREAT PAiLoLoolsT.
The Wonderful stoks OF an Iisaffsr
BARRIERS ApDrantfce


sarber's Apprentices. .-...f.
IN one OF the quaint old streets OF. the
ancient Italian city OF Bologna. stands
a queer little secondhand bookstore,
kept by one Slgnor Guidi. Outside the
door, In odd shaped stacks OF shelves,
Guidi displays his wares, and before
the racks, says the Weeks Progress.
congregate many OF the professors OF
the University OF Bologna aud other
lovers OF old and odd publications.
One day In 1882 Signor Guidi stood
In his shop doorway watching idly a
boy who had found book which ex-
cited his keenest interest. Suddenly
turning. he brought it to the shopkeep-
or and demanded the price. Signor
Guidi looked at It and smiled. 1t was
THE Life OF Abdel Knder," written In
Arabic. 1t was evident that the boy,
who was only BARRIERS helper. could
know nothing of Arabic.
MY child" said the shopkeeper kind
~, this Is book you could not I'M
derstand"
But how much Is it7' demanded the
boy.
'srhe price is 80 cents"
"And / have only so The youn9ster
seemed so nearly on the verge OF tears
that the shopkeeper made him q pres
ent OF the volume and sent him away
happy. Later in the day he told some
OF the university professors the story,
and the next day they waylaid the boy
and held n friendly examination. To
their amazement. he translated readily
at sight not only Arabic, but Latin and
Greek German. French, English and
Hebrew. He expounded and explained
with such understanding that the pro-
tessors ceased to question and ap-
plauded.
The boy was Alfred Tropbetti. son
or poor laborer. His father had died
several years before. and on wages of
20 cents day he had supported his
mother and had educated himself Mt
night by study at home. His case was
so amazing that at the recommendation
or the professors the city of Bologna
made him scholarship of 500 wear
and thus enabled him to pursue his
studies.
For more than ten years now Signor
Trombetti has taught school in Italy.
but ever since he obtained his doctors
degree he has kept busily at work In
his linguistic studies. Now he has an
nounced the result OF his study. n work
or four large manuscript volumes. emit
tied Genealogical Relations Between
Ancient Languages" He has classified
and reerranged more than 500 Ian
guages and dialects, ancient and mod
ern, tracing them In a new way. and
Is said to have proved scientifically the
unity OF their origin.
King Victor Emmanuel has declared
his Intention OF paying the cost of pub
fishing the books, the Academia de-
Lincei has given Signor Trombetti n
prize OF $500. and he has been asked
to so back to Bologna as professor
In the university there.
The teachers who discovered his
learning, the bookseller who told them
OF the Arabic book and the city fathers
who gave him the scholarship now
viii all lay claim to having discovered
and helped the young boy and to have
made his success possible. But the
boy himself, studying by candlelight
night after night in his squalid home.
with books and candles bought out
OF the savings from 20 cents a day.
with hunger gnawing at his stomach
while he worked-the boy himself Is
the original discoverer and the one
who did the real helping.