The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-10-15
A FRIEND OF ToLsToI.

M, Tchertkoff on the Russian Rcformer' 5 Private Life.
 The room in which our interview took place was plainly that of an ascetic. The house stood in it's own grounds, in one of the prettiest parts of Croydon. But the inside was very different from the conventional interiors of it's neigh Dors. The stairs were carpetless, and the room where we sat was monkish in it's simplicity. An iron bedstead occu- pied one corner; the floor was uncov- cred, even by a rug. The few articles of furniture were all of the plainest wood, unpainted and unvarnished. Near the window were two big deal tables containing in orderly array a number of Russian and English books and papers. Before one of the tables sat M. Tchertkoff, tall, bearded,young looking man, attired in a shapeless moujik's smock, yet with the irremov- able stamp of the Russian aristocrat upon him. Some members of our for eign office will remember M Tchertkoff as brilliant and fashionable young of- ficer of the Russian Guards, who spent some time in London eighteen years ago as member of the suite of his uncle, Count Schouvalorf, who was then Russian ambassador here. Since that time his life has greatly altered. Like another of his uncles, M. Paschkoff, the leader of the Russian Evangelicals. he tired of fashion and society, resigned his commission and threw in his lot with the poor. Finding in Tolstoi one of like mind, he became his helper working ardently to spread the knowl- edge of, and to prove the practicability of, the Christian teaching as expressed in Tolstoi's writings. Recently, in con sequence of this and of an endeavor he made to induce the young emperor tc check the prosecuting zeal of M. Pobe. donostseff, the reformer was exilet from Russia, hence his presence in Croy. 1 don
 What truth is there, M Tchertkoff, I asked, fin the rumors that have re gently been circulated that the czar in tends to exile Tolstoi?'
 The rumors are not apparently true and they have probably aiisen becaus proceedings have been taken agains some of Tolstoi's friends. But the em peror has no intention of exiling Tol stoi's friends probably thinking that i this were done it would immensely in crease his influence and lead people t look on him as a martyr. Tolstoi ha requested the authorities to procee, against him. His books, as you prob ably know, are not allowed to be cir culated in Russia, although they ar largely read there in manuscript and il printed copies that are smuggled ir Some time ago a working man in one 0 the large Russian towns wrote to Tol stoi asking where he could see copies 0 some of his works. When the working man had sent a third letter of inquir. Tolstoi remembered that in that tow there was young woman physician not a revolutionist by any means, bu who had some copies of his works. H wrote to the man, telling him that if h called on this lady she would probabl be able to show him what he wanted The letter was opened by the police be fore it reached the lady, and they ar rested her and threw her into prisor She had been in prison before for
 short time on account of another kin of error on the part of the government and, being of weak and very nervou temperament, became hysterical, woul hurl herself against the walls of he cell, and was brought almost to tn lpoint Of madness. This, having pre- viously been the case, made Tolstoi es pecially anxious for her, and he Wrot to two of the ministers, asking wh people who had his books should b punished, while he, the author of tn books, was allowed to go free. If hi books were regarded as harmful. wh did they not punish him? But the au thorities made no response
 TOLSTOFS PRIVATE LIFE.
 Tt is sometimes said, M. Tchertkof that Tolstoi, while preaching simplicit! and poverty, lives in the utmost luxu ry--is that true?"
 q know the rumor, for it is freely re peated all over Russia, But to under stand the truth you must be acquainte
 with Tolstoi's most private and int
 mate affairs. He is not alone; he is
 married man: he married when l. thought very differently on social ques tions to what he does now, and his vii does not at all share his social view
 He prefers simplicity, but he feels thf
 it would be unjust for him to force h
 family to live in the way that he think
 best. He handed the bulk of his prol
 erty over to his wife many years az
 but even if he had not done so st
 could, if she wished, easily have obtair
 ed from the authorities an order to tn
 effect. His wife maintains her hous
 in the ordinary style of Russians of ht
 class, but to Tolstoi all this luxury labhorent and painful. He takes T