The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-12-24
WORK, DEATH and SICKNESS
BY COUNT LEO TOLSTOY.
4 Legend.

\ Legend.
(Second of three tales written for the
benefit of the Kishenev Jews)
This is a legend current among the
South American Indians.
God. they say. at first made men so that
they had no need to work; they wanted
neither houses nor clothes, nor focd,
and they all lived till they were hun
dred, and did not know what illness was
like.
When after some time God looked to
see how people were living, He saw that
instead of being happy in their lie they
had quarrelled with one another and,
each caring for himself, had brought
matters to such a pass that far from
enjoying life they cursed it.
Then God said to Himself, This comes
of their living separately, each for him
self" And to change this state OF things
God so arranged matters that it was i'm
possible for people 70 1--we without work
ing To avoid suffering from cold and
hunger they We're not obliged TO build
dwellings, and to dig the ground, and to
grow ard gather fruits anc grain.
Work will bring them together, -
thought God. They cannot make their
tools, and SOW and gather their harvests
and spin and weave. and make their
clothes, each one by himself.
1T will make them understand that
the more heartily they work together the
more they viii obtain and the better they
will live: and this will unite them.
Time passed on. and again God came TO
see how men were living, and whether
they were happy in their life.
But He found them living worse than
before. They worked together-th2t they
could not help-5ut they did not all work
together, being broken up into little
groups. And each group tried TO snatch
work from another group, and they hind
! cred one another, wasting time and their
strength in struggles, so that things went
Ill with them all.
Having seen that this, too, was not
well. God decided so to arrange things
that men should not know the time Of
their death. bu: might die at any mo-
ment; and he announced this to them.
Knowing that each Of them may die
at any moment thought God they Will
not, by grasping at gains in a life thai
may end so soon, spoil the hours of life
that are allotted to them
But it turned out otherwise. When God
returned to see how people were living He
saw that their life was as bad as ever.
These who We're strong, awaiting them
selves of the fact that men might die at
any time, subdued those who were weak
er. killing some and threatening others.
s md IL oh haf only no or
est and their descendants did no work
and suffered from the weariness OF idle
ness. while those who were weaker had to
work beyond their strength and suffered
from lack of rest. Each set of men
feared and hated the other. And the life
of man became yet more unhappy.
Having see nal this, God, TO mend
matters decided to make use of one that
means. He sent sickness of all kinds
among men. God thought that when all
men were exposed to sickness they would
understand that those who are well must
have pity on those who are well NAV i'm
turn help them.
And again Cod went away, and when
He came back to see how men lived now
that they were subject TO sickness. He
The very sickness that. in Gods purpose. |
should have united them. had divided |
them more than before. Those men who /
were strong enough to make others WORK |
TOR them forced them also to attend to /
them in times of sickness, but did not in |
their tur natter Goie-ysome. e'ef. .andwer |
their turn look after other sick people. !
And those who were forced to work for
others and TO look after the sick We're
30 worn out with work that they had no
eime to look after their own sick, but left I
ehem without attendance. Moreover, /
people considered many of the Illnesses !
Infectious and fearing 20 catch them, |
ahey not only did not draw nearer to the |
nick. but even separated themselves from |
those who did attend the sick.
Then God said to Himself. IF even this /
means will not bring men to understand /
wherin their happiness lies. then let them |
be brought to it by their .sufferings." And |
God left them to themselves.
And left TO themselves, men lived long
before they understood that they could /
and should be happy. Only in the very /
latest times few Of them nave begun 4
to understand that work ought not 10 be I
o bugbear for some and like that of gall /
ley slaves for others, but Should be a
common and happy occupation. uniting /
all men.-They have begun to understand I
that with death constantly Threatening
each one, the only reasonable business /
Of every man is to spend the years.
months. hours. and minutes allotted to
him in unity and love. They have begun
10 understand that sickness. far from di-
viding men, should on the contrary give
for loving union with one