"Вълнение, радост, възторг" in Bulgarian by Petar Tchulev. Translated by Slavcho Yordanov.

Excitement, Joy, Delight

Interview of “Zemedelsko Zname” (Farmer's Flag)

On the phone: Maine; father of Samantha Smith

Yuri Andropov's reply to the letter of American schoolgirl Samantha Smith, made an ordinary 10-year old fifth-grade from Manchester (Maine) exclusively popular. Later last night, representative of our editorial office made a phone call with the home of Smith's family in Manchester. On the phone is Samantha's father, university teacher in Augusta, Arthur Smith.

- Hello?

- Good evening from Bulgaria. May I speak with your daughter?

- I'm sorry, but I can't tear her even for a moment from the journalists in our home.

- What thoughts and feelings come to you now, after your daughter got answer from Yuri Andropov?

- I am glad and pleased with the unusual attention to my daughter. I think she is happy and enthusiastic about the answer of the General Secretary of the USSR Yuri Andropov. This event made strong impression on our relatives, friends and our neighbors. Everybody congratulated my daughter with the big success. In instant she became a center of attention and she gives interviews to the press all the time.

- In his letter Yuri Andropov compared Samantha with the brave and honest girl Becky – playmate of Tom Sawyer's, from the famous book of Mark Twain. What does your daughter think about this book?

- Last year she read “Tom Sawyer”. Becky made a very strong impression on her and she looks for similarities between herself and Becky.

- The Soviet leader invited Samantha to the Pioneer camp “ARTEK” in USSR.

- The invitation is especially nice for Samantha and she is hoping that will be going for the summer to “ARTEK”.

Photo: Joyful Samantha holding the letter from Yuri Andropov.