The morning call., 1891-02-01

duly called to the Odessa church. He ac-
cepted, and Immediately went to reside on
his field of labor. His plstorate of four
years, carried ON amid constant trepidation
and alarm, has q history that resembles TO-
nance; but it would be foreign to our pres
sent purpose to relate it. Enough that the
church at Odessa tnrove under his ministry,
as well as a nouconformist church in Rus
STA is permitted to thrive. Toward the close
of his fourth year in the charge, an event
occurred which had a momentous influence
on the young clergyman's future. A solicit
tatiOn came to him from the Count Gregg
reiff leXandrovitch Scephanoic Tolstoi to
become his private Secretary and the teacher
of his sons. The Count, who was one of
the most influential mobiles in Southern
Russia, reyered for his lineage and beloved
for his humane and exalted character, is
younger brother of the novelist and man of
letters, the Count Loft Nikolai To!stoi.
He was a General in the Russian army
and wore the coveted decorations of ST.
Ann and st. Andrew. Besides his palace
and estate at Odessa he was owner Of twelve
other estates in various parts of Southern
Russia and villas at VOlhyuia, POdolia
and the Crimea. a man of liberal
culture, he had travelled much, paying
yearly visits Eeither TO Palestine, Italy,
Spain, the Caucasus or Sweden. He had
enjoyed the dignity of chamberlain to the
Emperor Alexander II, and was the inti-
mate friend of that monarch. His palace
at Odessa was, invariably, the Emueror's
stopping place when the court passed
through that city en- route to the Crimea.
The meeting between the Emperor and his
friend, the Count, on these occasions is said
to have been marked by ELUSIVE demonstra-
tons Of friendship on the part of the i'm
perial guest. Opening wide his arms be
embraced his host, kissing him upOn the
cheek, while he addressed him as My dear
dear TOlstoiI' A soldier in bearing, and
possessing a countenance tat indicated
hrmness, benevolence and frankness, the
Counts personality was commanding and
dignitied. 4 lover of literature and the fine
arts, a generous patron of merit; exhibiting
paternal interest in his tenantry and the
servants of his household, his praise was on
the lips Of the lower and middle classes,
while among his peers he was not supposed
to have had an enemy.
The Tol~to palace at Odessa, where the
Count and his family always spent the win
ter, was a building in the COrinthian style
of architecture 1t was of granite and
stood amid spacious grounds on the magnl-
ficent boulevard that runs along the edge of
the plateau, 200 feet above the sea, on
which the city is built 1t contained twenty
six large roumS and fourteen smaller rooms
or dependencies. As customary in houses
of the nobility each room is designated by
the color OF It's tapestry and furniture. Be
sides these apartments magnificent suite
was reserved for the occupancy of the En-
perOr Alexander when he deigned to honor
his loyal subject with his visits. The APP
ponlments of the palace, it need not be said,
10 the minuteSt detail, were luxurious and
complete. The external buildings were cor
TespOndingly ample. On one side of the
courtyard was a stable for twenty-four
horses. Opposite it was the carriage-hous
The garden, III which corps of gardeners