That same year he returned to visit his home in Serbia. When he was on the train near Gaenserndorf he noticed a conductor who had been rude to him and had called him a Serbian swine-herd when he was a poor lad several years previous. The conductor did not recognise him, however, and this time humbly addressed Michael as “Gracious sir.” There was great excitement in the village of Idvor when he arrived. The meeting with his mother was very tender. He went with her to his father’s grave and as he told her of his experiences in America she greatly rejoiced. The simple village folk of Idvor thought that Michael’s success would have made him vain and that he would despise them, but when he observed all the old Serbian customs, such as kissing the hands of the old people, his modesty won their hearts and he became a great favourite. From Idvor he went to Cambridge University in England, where for nearly two years he continued his studies. There he came into close touch with some of the world’s greatest mathematicians, and his interest in electricity and kindred subjects became greater than ever. From Cambridge he went to the University of Berlin, where he earned the degree of doctor of philosophy. At that time--1889--the Department of Electrical Engineering was established in Columbia University, and a position as teacher was offered Michael Pupin. He accepted the offer and hurried back to the United States to take up the duties of his important position. For many years Professor Michael Pupin has been one of the foremost authorities in the world in the science of electrical engineering and kindred subjects. Both by his speeches and by numerous magazine articles he has become widely known, and, while he is known better in America than elsewhere, something of his reputation has spread to other lands. He has made many important discoveries! The vice-president of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company said that one invention of Professor Pupin’s had saved for that company at least one hundred million dollars. He has received, many honours both from great universities and from important scientific societies. Among such honours are: the Elliot Cresson gold medal from the Franklin Institute; the gold medal from the National Institute of Social Sciences; the Edison medal of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers, the Hebert prize from the French Academy. And so it happens that the poor, ignorant Serbian boy, who landed in New York with only five cents in his pocket, has become a scholar of whom not only is Serbia proud, but the whole world delights to honour. CHAPTER VII A GREAT ARTIST AND A GREAT HERO