All during these anxious years, when sickness and poverty dogged his footsteps, Beethoven continued to compose such music as ranked him among the greatest composers that ever lived. He was very anxious about his “Choral Symphony,” and urged on by friends he consented to conduct the first performance. His friends could not have realised the full extent of his deafness or they would never have allowed him to be placed in such an unfortunate position. He stood up before the orchestra and energetically waved his baton, but evidently he could not hear the music. At the conclusion of the piece the audience thundered its applause, which Beethoven could not hear, but some one turned him around to face the people, who were wild with enthusiasm, and then it dawned upon the great musician that they were showing tremendous appreciation and he was deeply moved. Beethoven died in Vienna on March 26, 1827, in his fifty-seventh year. He had undertaken a long journey in winter, and the severe cold and exposure brought on inflammation of the lungs and dropsy. Beethoven will ever rank, not only as a great musical composer, but as a very brave man. All through his life he was beset by troubles which made him at times very unhappy. His deafness, which made companionship with others almost impossible, was a constant source of mental reflection and misery. Then his health was never good at any time of his life, and coupled with these things was the fact that practically all his life he was in poor financial circumstances. The wonder is, that with so many things to harass him, he continued to produce such music--music that will continue to thrill people as long as the world lasts. He died during a terrible thunder-storm, and prompted no doubt by the heavy burden he had borne so long, he said with his last breath, “I shall hear in heaven.” CHAPTER VI THE THRILLING STORY OF AN IMMIGRANT BOY In October, 1858, a boy was born in a Serbian village to whom was given the name of Michael Pupin. His parents were poor and could neither read or write, but they understood the value of education and so when little Michael, after his first few weeks at school, complained that he did not like it, and would rather play, his mother told him that she had always felt as if she were blind, for, although she had eyes, she could not read, and was afraid to venture beyond her own little village.