THE APOSTLE OF YOUTH
better and more commodious home. Margaret was alarmed; but he calmed her anxiety, declaring, "Money will not be wanting. The priest who spends liberally for God becomes the channel for the alms of the faithful." His hopes were more than realized, for from the king, Victor Emmanuel, down to the most lowly, all were eager to contribute to the new building.
In 1854 the cholera broke out in Italy, and its ravages were felt in many of the provinces. In Turin business was suspended, the rich fled to the mountains and the victims of the scourge died daily without help and were left unburied. Valdocco did not escape—whole families were cut off. Don Bosco adopted every possible sanitary measure to hinder its fatal inroads among his children. He offered himself to God for his flock, and more frequent and fervent prayer and greater purity of conscience became the law of the pupils.
As the hospitals filled Don Bosco accepted the charge of one in Valdocco and appealed to his young disciples for co-operation.
"Should any of you sacrifice your life in this noble charity, it will be for you a martyrdom, with the certainty of obtaining the palm of everlasting victory," he concluded with solemn assurance.
Large numbers of his devoted youths eagerly pressed forward to answer his call; but Don Bosco chose only forty of the most robust among the volunteers for this duty of charity, so fraught
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