Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-07-17
ToLsToI MS wIrE's GUEST.
Dressed Like Peasant He Visits His
Family In Winter,

Family In Winter,
From the London Daily News.
Herr Oscar Blumenthal, the we'll
known author Of many amusing come
dies. and manager Of the Leasing thea
ter. is Just now with his company in
Russia. where they have achieved great
success. At Moscow he learned by
chance that Count Leo Toistol was
STAYING there. and at once determined
to visit the author, whose THE Power
of Darkness was for the first time
given In Berlin on his stage. Herr
Blumenthal describes In most attract
lively written article his meeting with
the count. He says
1.-THE elegance of the entrance hall
surprised me, and the footman in black
who took my card astonishcd me still
more. One is not prepared TO find in
the home Of this philosophic hermit the
social customs Of an embassy. This
contradiction Is very simply explained.
He lives In Moscow only az the guest
Of his wife, The winter residence in
the capital is built for her and the
children, who grow up amid all the
pleasures and joys Of youth. their rum
mating father not In the least be-
grudging them the vanities Of the
world, For Count Tolstol is no prose-
lytlzer. His shyness Of the world and
socis~y, which has become q necessity
his family. The last consequences OF
the 1kreutger Sonata are not so UNI
rclentngly pursued by him, for his
youngest child IL stu In frncks, and
has looked out into this world Of ton
tradictions and confusion with It's IN
aulsitive eyes for not more than four
or five years.
after passing down long corridors
which are like so many intreuohments
around Tolstoi's study, l at last sto1d
befor.. this remarkable man. ] saw
lin just as the celebrated picture
shows HMM his fun peasants smo3li,
a belt round his woist, with The white
heard, the melancholy, deep set eyes
the coarse gray hair, the thoughtful
wrinkled brows, the strong hands ac-
customed TO work. which during his
conversation he keeps passing through
his belt and the whole touching ear
nestness whict surrounds the man.
Count Leo Tolstol makes the impress
sion of figure out OF the Bible When
one converscs with him one lowers ones
voice. One imaglnes that one of the
apps les has stepped out Of Leonardo
da Vincrs Last supper The convent
like simplicity of the study ls in uni
son with the simple dignity of the man.
Whitewashed walls, without artistic
establishment, black leather chairs,
bookshelves with only a few books a
brentwood writing table, on which a
quantity of freshly written sheets lie
this is the work-cell Of this worldly
monk"
Count TolstOi. Here Blumenthal tells |
us, at once opened a conversation which |
turned upon the literary movement in |
Germeny. He showed very great in |
tsrest In the matter-so great that Herr |
Blumenthal suggested to him to come |
TO Berlin and make himself acquainted |
~
personal observation. Count Tnlsto
shook his head, saying; mo. certainly |
not. / agree with the Indian wise man
who, among the seven mortal sins
which man may commit against him
self. reckons useless travelling. l shall
never leave Russia again"
After tnquiring what impression his
works made in Germany, Count rolstol
said that he had planned for many
years new drama which he had much
at heart. His former dramas were
nothing but preliminary studies for this
unwritten work. He was, however,
atrasd that he would die before he had
completed 1t. II would not treat a
Russian, but n cosmopolitan, subject
from the social life OF a capital. at
is piece" he added, which will con-
tain my personal concessions, my strug-
giles, my faith, and my sufferings-in
short, everything near my own heart
The cold objecuylty OF some authors
which is praised 10 much don't ike.
Al least no work win affect my heart
in which do not find a human con-
fesslon, something which has lowed
out OF the poets own heart"
Then suddenly turning the conversa-
ton, What do you think of Henrik
lbsen and his latest works?'' Herr
Blumenthal answered. Are you
speaking q 'Iiedda Gebler and the
Master Builderg Well, il must con-
fess, count / have had them given
on my stage, but never thoroughly I'M
herstood them, ana Lalmost had the
impression that lbsen only published
them IN order to hear from his critics
what he really thpught when writing
HEM" Yves, II Is the want of clear
ness" Count Tolstoi agreed, which
disappointed me also in Ibsen'a pieces.
read his Wild Duck and Ghosts
out ! can't understand the fame ana
he success OF the author. But PER-
,aps the translation IL to be blamed.
md | am sorry to say / have ex-
myself what an Inadequate
can do"
In reply to the question whether 1t ,
Mas tue that the "Kreutser sonata'l
SUI prohibited IN Russia Count
'olume' but in the collected edition Of
ny works II is allowed TO appear. The ,
wisdom Of our censor Is. as you see,
nscrutable," ~ !
Herr Blumenthai, who, the day after
lis visit, received a photograph from !
cunt Tolstoi with an autograph dedl- /
alton, closes his interesting account
WIN the words; 1.-THE photograph I
lands ON my writing table look at I
again and again and lnvoluntarllv I
nurmur the words OF Kent 10 King i
ear, You have that In your coun- i
ensnee when would fain call mas v
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