Nikola Tesla - Hero of Techniques Page 7

spent from 1846 to 1852. In Senj, he had a son, Dane, who died young, and two daughters, Angelina and Milka. Milutin was later transferred to Smiljan as an administrator, and became a permanent parish priest in 1857. His son Nikola and daughter Marica were born here. After less than six years, he asked to be transferred to Gospić, where he was soon produced as protopresbyter- vicar. He lived there until his death on April 29, 1879.

Milutin was a good man and a gifted speaker, and he was also involved in literature. He spoke several languages. He had a large library, not only of ecclesiastical and beautiful literature, but also of natural sciences. Tesla's mother Duka was a good housewife; she loved to find different household gadgets, and was famous throughout the area for her handiwork. Although illiterate, Duka knew by heart many folk songs and entire chapters from Njegoš's >>Gorski vijenc<<. Sister Angelina married Protopresbyter Trbojević. One of her sons lives in America as a mechanical engineer, where he achieved a great reputation with his numerous patents. Marica married Protopresbyter Kosanović, the father of today's minister of the FNRJ Federal Government, Sava Kosanović. Sister Milka, who married Glumičić, died early.

Tesla completed the first grade of the (German) primary school in Smiljan, and the other grades in Gospić, where he also completed the German lower secondary school. Back in Smiljan, he dealt with various »inventions<<. For example, he mounted a small mill wheel on the stream there, which caused the enthusiasm of his peers. On one occasion, he tried to jump from the roof with an open umbrella. Not only did he ruin the umbrella, but because of that jump he spent several weeks in bed. The second time he came up with the idea to meet mecha-