The Pensacola journal., 1908-08-28
TODAY IS THE
BIRTHDAY Of
COUNT TOLSTOI
London Prepares Huge Gel
ebration In Honor of Rus
sian Novelist, Who Has
Depicted So Correctly and
Faithfully Russian Social
Conditions.
Special TO The Journal.

gees and thousands OF literary men
and political radicals will tomorrow
celebrate the eightieth birthday Of
Count Leo Tolstoi with a great meet
ing which will probably be the most
enthusiastic tribute ever paid in Lon
don to a literary man. Preparations
for the great occasion have been going
forward for months and tomorrow
elimination viii be a veritabie public
Unheaval of love and admiration for
the great Russian novelist. Hundreds
of messages of COngTatUlatiOn, signed
by the most famous names in English
literature and politics, viii he sent
from London to the venerable man
who rules intellectual Russia by the
power Of his pen and who looms above
the czaT as 4 giant above a pygmy
In connection with the TOlStOi birth
day celebration, it IS stated that q
new novel has been completed by the
great Russian and Will make its ap-
pearanCe Immediately after LIS death.
The manuscript of the book has been
read by an English friend of ToIstof,
who states that it is perhaps the most
terrible arTaignmeut of smart society
ever written Dealing with the fraiI-
ties and fOllies of fashionable women
and the primal sins and passions of
men. it is declared to be even more
powerful than Anna Ka-enina" and
the kTeutzer Sonata"
His New Novel.
Father Sergius" is the title of the
new novel, which will only see the
light of day after the eyes of the au-
thor have been closed forever It is
the story of wealthy euardsman.
prominent in St Petersburg society.
who becomes engaged to a typical
society girl OF the Russian capital.
For a time the course of true love
runs smoothly, and the guardsman Is
SereDely happy in the thought of a
happy future Shortly before the mar
rlase, however, the young man dis
covers that the maiden. while pre-
tending extreme innocence and de-
C!aTing that she loves only her be
trOthed, has been carrying on a clan
destine affair with a Russian court
parsonage and that her innocence is
only an affectatiOn covering depths
of depravity. The rage of the young
man at this tragic ending of his
dreams of welded bliss affords Op-
pOTtunity for fierce TOIstoian Casti-
cation Of society women. with the in
tmation that the girl is but a type
common among the feminine devOtpes
OF smart society everywhere.
Utterly disguised with the world and
It's ways, the officer throws up his
commission in the army, enters a
monastery, takes the cowI, and as
sumes the name of SeTgiUs.
Here the bruised heart Of the novice
reposed in clOistraI peace, and his soul
filed with the noble thoughts and
spiritual influXeS. which language IS
pOweTieSs to express and music only
family suggests, gradually RECEIVERS
sympathy with all creatures. Com
muning thus with the soul Of the uni
verse, the Jealous monk thirsts for
higher spiritual perfection and finally.
quitting the mOnastic family, retires
TO a lonely hermitage and sylvan
meditation.
Here he vics with the ancient In.
dian anchOTiteS in feats of SeIf-m0rti-
ficatiOn, followed by moods OF esctatic
rapture. swellings of spirit and CON
sciOusness of the godlike power with
in him. The fame of his holy life is
bruited abroad. and peasants begin
to speak of him in awe as a wonder
working saint Nowhere in the book
is TOlstOis artistic power so marvel
oUsly displayed as in these converse
tiOns among peasants
The Second Part.
The second part of the novel opens
with d description of a picnic ar
ranged by youthful city pleasure
hunters. who. with the ladies of their
hearts, are whirIed along in three-in-
hands TO the accompaniment of the
horses siIvery bells, past the golden
dOmed monastery. past tho sylvan re
cess IL which the holy hermit is ever
doing penance. They discuss his TO-
mantle story, his fierce love Of self
inflicted suffering. his invUlneTa biIity
to the shafts of temptation.
One blthe and pretty lady is sc0rn-
fully sceDtical as 10 the monks in
vuInerabnity. declares that she could
easily entice him from his pedestal Of
sanctIty and have him at her feet II
she wished
Her male companion lawyer,
challenges her 10 make good her
boast. Offering a heavy wager that
she will fail
The lady then descends alone from
the three-in-hand- wanders along the
fringe Of the forest and. prOfiting b.
a fell of fine rain knocks a. the door
OF the heTmits hut, entreatinS the in
mate to give her temporary refuge.
The ensuing scenes Of temptation
are most artistic and powerful for
example that which under the pre-
text Of vet garments the lady pro
ceeds 70 change them. while Sergius-
with thrObbing heart and swimming
head, feels the awakening Of a passion
that was not dead. but sleeping and
maGdened by the fear lest If should
like an evil spirit possess AID sway
him he seiZes a harchet- and chops
OF a finger
The fair tempt-esS- hOTTor-strizen.
fees from the ausrere hermitage.
shedding tears of shame As she de-
parts
Meanwhile. the fame Of the holy
man spreads over a wider area Even
the inhabitants of distant cities hear
Of the piOus anchOTiJe who Is endowed
with holy powers and miraculous fac
uIries The sick and suffering are