New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-09-20
TOLSTOY IN 1906.
4 Visit to His Home and Some
Talk srith Him.
Mrs. Louise Mauds. in The London Tribune.

Talk fclth Him.
Mrs Louise Maude. in The London Tribune.
The afternoon was well advanced when my sister
AT best Russans are not noted for their punctu
ality, and new, when lawlessness seems 10 be IN
the air, the train service is more disorganzed than
Anxious lest our visit to Tolstoy. which was TO be
tailed. we asked the guard whether we were not
Yes" he replied. but at the next station we
leave three carriages behind. and shall then catch
After the three carriages were left behind, how
ever. We sun went on losing time thougn, lhsIeau
Of three or four We now only lost one or two min
An hour was wasted in looking for vehicle and
some ten miles away in the country and II was
dining 1 he ng table RGsF 6s
and came to greet us. and We were asked at once
20 the table, without going first into the house.
and. after an Informal INTRODUCTION 10 those mem
bers Of the househSd whom we did not slresdy
;Tolstoy. his wife SON three daughteIs i. and I'd,
erness, doctor the eldest daughters husband and
stepchidren and one or two other people all or
whom were STAYING in the house or at the other
Though two men servants were waiting at table.
the dinner was most informal meal. but per-
haps our late arrival may have contributed 10 the
We were asked many questions about ourselves
sId our friends with that peculiar re 81 s5
has tbis power W. Of remembering and entering into
other peoples interests TO a very high degree
HIS PEssIMIsTIC VIEWS.
Tolstoy himself. his son sergius. who is in
the Moscow dOuma, and his sOn-tn-law, who is in
state OF affairs in Russia II very evident that
the recent events had in no wise altered or mod-
Tightly sqpPosing that newspapeEs only reached
nasnaya Polyana late IN the evening had brought
the party. but Tolstoy remarked that he did not
TINE 6a Mere eyeR harmful Ssses Ss f Of
lies. He seemed much depressed By the lies told
ises they had made to the people in their efforts
They have promised the peasants what IT is
impossible 10 grant,, he said And II II were
separate class and be the 0ny Of and
Why should not bootnaker or a nobleman have
TO DO something. why don't they adopt Henry
! replied that people ia Moscow said that the
peasants would not he content with the scheme
Tolstoy thought they would.
Yes" he replied slowly ! think many Of them
perfectly, and quite approved Of it- it,
don't seem understand il at ali, and think they
would lose their little farms and gardens II Henry
Tolstoy laughed Yes" he said. Il have spoken
George. told me they had done so and quite under
stood him yet they complained that II is not fair
And SIN they pretended 10 understand Henry
well. at least you have now got some freedom
Of the press in Russia. That is something" re-
Yes" he replied. rather doubtfully Yes. that
is something" But he did not seem very ready
to make even this small admission TO the utility
Of the reforms from which so many in Russia hope
When dinner was over the company did not rise
all at once , Engaged in inteTesting conversation
figures. and a feeling that need not get up yet.
VEGETARIANISM AND THE BEGGAR.
gave Tolstoy one or two messages from people
who had asked me 10 tell him how much they had
addressed 10 him by meeting Of the Vegetarian
@ as tS-ey H nee az SReIIenn3m; ne
fashion remarked that he could not at ali under
stand how It was that so many good people re-
"And you know they pretend a vegetarian diet
wishing 20 hear my opinion.
Yes. ! know" answered. Il have often heard
mistake; it Is much cheaper when properly man
Just So Yet my wife won't admit IT, and proves
her point by giving me daintes-things out OF sea-
II was rather RS amusing that the Countess Tolstoy
SifcnIties in providing foT the fsmy some hS ~
whom were strict vegetarians, while others ate Ash
Soon after dinner several of the company assem-
bled on the tennis court. which is merely bit
moved, covered with sand. rolled or stamped down
iSfy Erslish players on one eide OF the eyoTnd
is a long wooden bench. and on It sat down beside
the players, among whom was his youngest daugh-
ter seemed Heiy Keen a,, on IL u was amusing 70
love" play" called out with Russian accents ana
sac,ra ton was impossible especaly s
the neople who watched the game kept coming and
going now sitting down on the bench now rising
70 Give room else or 70 take their
tUr 81 the game. But TOlstoy though following the
90 me- keenlv. put IN a word every now and then
g. made some remark which showed that he lis
$500 10 what was being said. ana again showed
tbat no had not altered modified his views on the
use OF physical force. on private property or on
Christian duty. - ,--,
tts second daughter Princess ObOlensky remarked
- q, yrea the fear OF forgetting their ideals and
beco,,irr self-satished by life OF material pros
DDCrt.-- tbat led them To start pgrimages in
Ica.-ssyh - the Messiah and other eccentricitias
STia.a,, bsesn 10 say something which sounded ike
os.s.i b,,, was interrupted beggRr had come
pP.pe ,,,,ovh 20 n few feet behind our bench and
~ 40 T., that peculiar attitude OF humility and
,.tior a Russian beggar can assume. holding
- See. cao IN his hands. which lay crossed on
.iis - Rs STAFF and. bowling low his bare head
- a., s,isnoe turned 20 look at the beggar
a. - - whether Tolstoys hand felt for his
atu u.N aS ,,,ne and those OF most Of the peo-
~ 49, Std hut heard him ask his daughter
r. ~ go anvfhing. and saw hand pass a silver
"a 81 ~ g. baggar IL made me think OF what
srI,, sSa An one Of his books about IL being
a - noiiteness not 20 refuse trine 20
Tren yyho asks vSu for H. - -. -, ~,
Va. hDs--r boyyrd and went his way ana Princess
~ ~. soid us a story about woman she had
hasrd ~ \, Psrfs who hac given away everything
sIs SoSsessed until she had notiliig leit OUT the
49, ebe yygs wearing next her sh.ns anu tnar
,he1 ber reiatives had her smut up IN lunauc
asylum There was ring OF pity ana Inauguration