THE VENERABLE DON BOSCO
munion, did not even know his prayers. how Don Bosco's heart ached as he heard the pitiful story! So he sat there with his arm around the little lad and taught him to make the Sign of the Cross, explaining what it meant and giving him his first lesson on God his Father. Then he dismissed him kindly and the boy promised to return.
In a day or two Bartholomew presented himself again, and with him were two other boys seeking instruction. In the succeeding weeks the little band grew; and lo! in two months, February 2, 1842, Don Bosco had a class of twenty poor boys educating them and training them in virtue. He interested himself in their work, visited them in their homes, if they had any, provided some with lodging and food and procured places for those out of work. On Sundays he took them to church, and afterwards for recreation to some park or public place; so that all Turin soon became alive to the good he was doing.
All this time he was pursuing the highest course of theological studies, deeming it imperative to fit himself to cope with the difficult questions of the time, with doctrinal, social, philosophical and political problems that agitated individuals and nations. In fact, he was preparing himself for authorship and studying a style which he had not valued so much in his early days of flowery rhetoric, that style which would appeal most powerfully to the heart and conscience of
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