Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-02-01

private secretary OF the Count Tolstoi,
he had conducted the correspondence oil
that nobleman for more than six years;
that having had the duty intrusted TO
him of opening and classifying all letters
as they were received from the mails, he
was acquainted with their contents ana
knew that, in the period OF his service
q reasonable line had never been re-
ceiyed, dictated nor sent by the Count
from or toany society or person.
Count Strobanski's reply was kind'
but for that reason the more discour-
aging. What ground for hope when
power confesses itself powerless? "fer,
sonally, | do not know the Count oil
Tolstoi." he said, ''but were it in my
mower | should be glad to aid him. But
see. the ukase. l can not alter thaI'
No one may alter that. Will give you
some advice, however. 90 TO IoooiSh'
in the neighborhood of which place the
Count is a prisoner, and | will give you
a letter of introduction to the Count OF
Suracnow. Governor of West Siberia.
See what you can do for Tolstoi."
Thereupon DR.. Calkeon forwarded a
telegram to General Dolgorouki asking
for instructions. The response came
promptly: go; the charges have oeeh
prepaid TO provide you with a speciaI
train" Immediately on receipt OF thlS
dispatch the secretary began his long
Journey from st. Petersburg TO Iooolsk'
a distance of three thousand English
miles. Allowing for a few brief stops
at long intervals the trip occupied llVe
davs. II was performed toward the
close of the month of May, and when
Tobolsk. built on crag two hundred
feet high and surrounded by lts
breml. or stone wall. came into view
II was still winter in that far Northern
latitude. The snow lay upon the GROUND
and long icicleS dropped from the
bouchs of the trees. On arriving Dr.
Calkoen repaired, AT once, to the paIace
of Count Suracnow, TO whom he pre-
septed the letter he had received from
Minister Strobanski. The Count re-
ceived him with the utmost Kindness.
He was man advanced in years, ana oil
pleasant. even benignant bearing. Inc
doctor was surprised to find so humane
a gentleman engaged in the admins
tration of a penal colony. After he
had explained his errand and given
his testimony as to his masters realty
10 the Emperor. Count Suracnow, VINO
had heard him attentively, said; u
willingly believe you. But what can l
do? NV instructions admit Of no devil
alton. If do not follow them lose my
place and another will come and the SIT
nation of TolStoi will not change, save
for the worse. TolStoi has lost all.
Fortune, name and iniuence-all are
gone. Indeed there is no longer Count
Gregorieff Tolstoi. He who was Gre
gorieff Tolstoi is number thirty-Str ia the
malichite mine. But as much as in my
power. will give him liberties; and the
greatest liberty can afford hin Is to
permit him to work in the mines"
The mine prisoners are, indeed, the
best off, as DIR. CalkOen afterward
learned; others against whom special
lukaSeS had been directed being com
PEELED TO herd like swine in a barrack-
| like structure, where about two thou
sand human beings were then immured.
/ In her deSoate home the Countess
TolStoi remained with her family until
her shattered health was so farreStored
as to enable her 10 quit Odessa. Happily
she possessed thirty millions of roubleS
in her own name which the imperial
decree in no wise affected. She is now
residing at Dresden, SaXony, with her
son. the Count Gabriel TolStoi. DR..
Calkoen received letter from her dur
ing the past month, which he was good
enough to show me. II was written in
Russian. and contains the following sen
tence, his translation of which am al
/ liberty to use: ''No intelligence of my
dear husband. The Governor OF West
/ Siberia has ceased answering my letters
II remains only TO be quiet. hope you
will not forget uS-you who knew him
so well in all his tenderness.
5. GIFFARD NELSON.