The morning call., 1891-02-01

received from the mails, he was acquainted
with their contents and knew that, in the
period OF his service, a reasonable line had
never been received, dictated ncr sent by the
Count from or to any society or person
Count StrobanskPs reply was kind, but
for that reason the mure dscouragng
What ground for hope when power con-
fesses itself powerlesS? Personally I do
not know the Count Tolstai." he said,
but were 1t in my power should be glad
to aid him. But, see, the ukase! l cannot
alter that. No one may alter that / will
give you some advice, however. Go to
Tobolsk, in the neighborhood of which place
the Count is prisoner, and l will give you
a letter of Introduction to the Count
Suracnow, Governor of West Siberia. See
what you can do for Tolstoi."
Thereupon DR.. Calkoen forwarded a tele-
gram to General Dolgorouki asking for in
structiOns. The response came promptly:
Go; the charges have been prepaid to pro-
vide you with a special train" Immediately
on receipt of this dispatch the Secretary
began his long journey from ST. Petersburg
to TobolSk, a distance OF 5000 English miles.
Allowing for a few brief stops at long inter-
walls the trip occupied five days. 1t was per-
formed toward the close of the month of
May, and when Tobolsk, built on a crag 200
feet high, aud surrounded by its Kreml or
stone wall, came Toto view. it was still win
ter in that far northern latitude. The snow
lay upon the ground and long icicles
ulOupCu llOlu TIC UOuSuS VI tit IItco. Ou
arriving, DIR. Calkoen repaired at once TO
the palace of Count Suracnow, to whom
he presented the letter he had re-
ceived from Minister Strobanski The
Count received him with the utmost kind
ness. He was man advanced in years,
and OF pleasant, even benignant bearing.
The doctor was surprised to find so humane
gentleman engaged in the administration
of a penal colony. After he had explained
his errand and given his testimony as to his
m lfxrf 10 St,r.a
now, who had heard him attentiyely, said:
willingly believe you. But what can l
do? My instructions admit of no deviation.
Ii do not follow them | lose my place and
another will come, and the situation of Toll
Stol will not change save for the worse.
TolStoi has lost all Fortune, name and
infuence-all are gone! Indeed, there is
no longer Count Gregoref TolStoi. He
who was Gregoreff TolStoiis number thirty
six in the malaehite mines. But, as much
as in my power, | will give him liberties,
and the greatest liberty / can afford him is
to permit him to work in the mines"
The mine prisoners are, indeed, the best
off, as DIR. Calk0en afterward learned;
others against whom special ukases had
been directed being compelled to hSrd like
swine in a barrack-like structure, where
about 1000 human beings were then i'm
INJURED.
The mission of the devoted Secretary had
failed. No power, other than that of the
patron, and approach to the Emperor was
closed absolutely against all appeal for
modification of a ukaSe With tears he en-
treated Governor Sur4cnow for permission
to see the Count Utterly impossbleW
was the reply.
MAY l then write to him stating what we
have tried to do in his behalf?"
NO. You cannot write TO him, and he
cannot write to you. Neither can his fam
lily, nor any one, ever receive any c0mmuni-
~ fro, Ia 10 litin, hui h, 10
one already dead"
With heavily burdened heart DR.. Calkoen
retractd the long, bleak journey from
TObolsk to Odessa. On arriving there he
found that the ualignity of Czarism-more
yeDgeIul than the lightning itSelf-had
sought to oblterate from the earth every
trace Of its victim. The Counts estates had
teen forfeited to the crown. His palace had
been riied. Its gold and silver plate, bear
Ing the arms and crest of the Count; its
paintings and engravingS; a large collection
OF old gold and silver coins; all the Counts
life insurance policies; twenty-five horses
and all his carriages had been taken away
without other explanation than that the
ukase required it.
In her desnate home the Countess TOlsto
remained with her family until her shattered
health was So far restored as to enable her
to quit Odessa. Happily she possessed for
tune OF 100000 of Tubles in her own right
which the imperial decree in no wise al
1VClSu. 10 llON leSiuIu6 DItsusU, NdA-
0ny, with her son, the Count Gabriel Tol-
stoi. DR.. Calkoen received a letter from
her during the past month, which he WAS
good enough To show me. 1t is written in
Russian, and contains the following SEN
tence. his translation of which | am at lib
erty to use No intelligence of my dear
husband. The Governor of West Siberia
has ceased answering my letters. 1t re-
mains only to be quiet / nope you will not
forget us-you vino knew bin SO we'll in all
his tenderness" s. GIFFARD NELSON.