Count Tolstoi through American Eyes.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 75, 8 May 1903, Page 3

Count Tolstoi through American Eyes.

In tlio Cosmopolitan appears a skeJclu of I tho great Russian writer by Eibc-rb Hubbard; which will interest many more, especially since Tolstoi's "Rcssurection"' is being now played in London, Paris, and Kow lork. Mr. Hubbard spends much time in ■painting the contrast between tho life of tho Count and his wife. Ho describes a splendid dinner party, to which an American guest was invited, and add?: — "At tdio foot of tho table is seated—obi, ye gods!— a man in coarse peasant cos- ™?' a}} rl a !sather giiAe is at Ills waist. M nrsb glance, this man is repelling— tho cheap blue blouse of the toiler, tho bold ,e:iturcs, the large mouth, the b°eiluig eyebrows, the shaggy shock of hair, the long iron-grey beard, tho bronze of tlio lace tcenn so strangely out of place here, lou approach closer, and are roaosurecx, a s gentJo eyes beaming with svml>cthy look into yours-, and the low, dkrly mouiilaisd voice bids you welcjme. Is tho kg calloused hand ' grasps your own you feel tna-t. you are, in the" slia'dow of a great rock in a weary land, and all tho too speeches you have formulated -lio from your memory—and you say nothing. At tlio left hand of this nvw'o figure sits a young woman, plain in feature, Tut dress some- simple grey Hannel that- covers lm- Ici'm irom angle to wrist and throat. bho woara no jowoiler>--and{ t-he quick cyo oi tho pilgrim notes luat her bunds are unusea^to gioves. Tho ncasant present-- her Mmmv as 'my daugthcr,' and motions, the visitor to a scat at his right, hand." TOLSTOI'S DINNER, While the other guests were enjc.yinf a mne-ccui-se dinner Count Tolstoi and his daughter roomed to cat, nothing "until (he hTs.l course of meat i ;J beimr brought, vhen a maid enters .nrough a side door with a simple p,at 0 of pottasa for uuth. and a loaf of lyebrsad. They eat the bread, and -300 .raipwii O4&--J A' o , T ~_3 S[a Si:;n;ou io pti-j o.iojaq ~:s ~.,;p 3UO j o ov.j^d ice nor viine." '

Mr. Hubbard thus describes Tolstoi's workroom: "The room is lovr, la:<r e and square; bockt-helvcs line t.hs v.-alb;°a lontable is -n tho centre, strewn with p;ipc-s° books, ;uid voting matcriid:., in all of tlie liannonious disorder that marks the v.o-k-Miop oi virclcss worker; a cot at one side shows where the master deeps : and at thfoou Oi. vha cat y, iU sco .-„ cobbler's our St., that, looks just lika a corner in any shoemakers yhop. A TOLSTOI STORY. The wiitcr conchulas a- molt syirpnuiotic artieis whh thsso lines:— * * "L-o Tolstoi's is the most vibrant and fnr-i-eaehing voice in Patwia—if not in tins round world. Ho has honeycombed tb» Greek Church, forced arbitration unon the Czar, who had nolhincr to ai-bitraie, and r.o many made war odious. He h-i..-> dor* by peaceful moaiis wh.at centuries of Nihilism could never do. "The Church liar. excoaimuni'T.ted himnna visnea upon his grey he:-cl its mor-t butcr cur.vos, but lii... app^d is to anotlkr ii-Lbunal. "Recently two men were sentenced at :m.oscow to -iho Siberian m'r.os fo" circ>'lvjnrr licrclica! lita;;ti-re. Tolsfoi c.mo "iorwara, am! s];owcd rliat. lie himssir had wr'tton the pnr/.phlcts ;v:d circulated then. iio demanded -h-xh {he manacles be taken from ilia iner. and placed iipor hi'i^e'f ]<o v-'oi;-'d S« to Siberia, if need >>s. " "' '■Tlrj jifl/vc i-clc:. etl the men and ordered Tolstoi from the courtroom, mc-veiy telling him to bo -rcnarert to answer'if he should bo sent for. V.nt thcr nV.r2 jjot touch Tolstoi—tho people are v/iih Lim. '"Tho desirft of his life and tho w?'v^ of Ins heart is to nive I.is lr, v - to" tho<-= who havo-' little—to tho.o who need kvo most. "The cry of Victor Hum was: 'V o r~ li-ht.! More light!'"Tho cry of' Goethe was: 01.-re l^ht' More light!' " "" '