The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-07-09

agree that the question of woman's suf
frage shall be a plank in the politica
platform at the next election, has sale
that the women of England as a whole
had not shown any intense desire FOL
the ballot A number of women, witt
Mrs. Parkhurst, the leader of the suf'
fragets, at their head, went to call upor
the Prime Minister to enlighten him or
this subject, but he refused to see them
sending word to them to put their de-
mands in writing This enraged these
militant ladies to the last degree, and
they declared that the hour had come
to show their strength, and that any.
thing they had previously done should
be regular Presbyterian prayer meet
ing to that which they were about to do
or words to that effect. They kept Their
word, and that evening there gathered
around Parliament a mob so stupen-
eye could reach all the streets around
Parliament Square were simply dense
masses of humanity. For four or five
hours this great crowd of women be-
sieged the House of Commons. but the
force of 5000 police successfully pre-
vented anyone from entering the build
irg. These officials were gentle and
good-natured in handling the crowd of
persistent women, but some 20 arrests
ried off to Jail. A woman with mega
phone out in a boat in the Thames
made things lively, keeping up her
highly interesting remarks even when
her boat had been towed and fastened
under Westminster Bridge. Finally the
mob was pressed back, the streets
cleared and normal conditions restored.
1t is said that in the midst of the tumult
Mr.. Asquith left the House of Commons
and walked thru the thinner parts of
the crowd without being recognized.
Altho most important debates were go
ing on in both branches of Parliament
at the time. the great majority of their
distinguished members were absent
from their seats, and out in the palace
yard watching the fun thru the ratings,
rusing back to record their votes when
summoned. The unpopular wife of the
Prime Minister and her daughter view
ed the scene with much amusement
from the balcony Of hotel near Parlia-
ment Square.
So quiet and busy has her life been.
and SO removed from the madding
crowd, that few people appreciate the
fact that the Countess Tolstoi is a very
remarkable woman. She is the daugh-
ter of a once well-known physician of
Moscow. and when handsome, plump,
black-eyed girl of the age when most
girls are still in school, married the
Count who was then SO. years old, and
who had drained the cup of life's sup
posed pleasures to the very dregs. He
took his young bride 10 his vast bank
rupt estate, which has been in his fam
lily for over 100 years; and which was
presentedoto his ancestor. Gen. Tolstoi.
by the great Catherine II.-that august
lady whose keen eye for business by no
means rendered her blind to the physi-
cal attractions of the sterner sex-and
installed her as mistress of a small
peasants hut on the estate, the ances-
trail mansion having been dismartled
and deserted, with everything of value
sold during the boyhood of the Count
Here she lived for nearly 20 years with
out once revisiting her native city of
Moscow. and here she became the moth
er of II children. taking most of the
care of them herself, attending entirely
to their early and much of their later
education, while at the same time dis
playing such wonderful executive abil-
ity and such remarkable talents for
economical management that thru her
efforts the enormous mortgage on the
estate was lifted, and is now one of the
most prosperous in that district Since
the children have outgrown her con-
slant care and attention, she has, in ad-
dition to her duties OF managing the
estate. acted as her husbands secretary.
writing and rewriting his manuscripts
sometimes half dozen times, for Count
Tolstoi makes many changes in his work
before he sends it to his publishers.
THEREOF late years. too, her husband
has been good deal of an invalid, and.
like most men when the body is out of
tune, is somewhat exacting and selfish
in his demands on her time and
strength, but which are cheerfully and
gladly responded to by her in endeavor-
ing to add to his personal comfort. Ow-
ing to the Countess efforts and excel
lent management. the family were able
to move into the ancestral mansion
many years ago. which, altho not ex-
travagantly furnished. has been made
by its mistress a suitable and dignified
home for family of their position
Most of the children have grown to ma
jority and are highly accomplished,
speaking several languages-all Rus
slams are natural Notwithstanding thorO-
ly educated in music and well versed in
the sciences and literature. They do
not inherit their distinguished fathers
doctrines, tho one of his daughters pro-
claimed herself his disciple for awhile
Thru her mothers influence she was.
however, brought back to the fold, for
it is well known that the Countess. al
tho great and intelligent admirer of
her husbands intellectual and literary
ability. has no sympathy with most of
his ideas. b Without, her assistance his
present reputation in the world of let
tiers, would have been impossible. He
needed her practical common sense to
bring him down from the clouds and
stimulate him to work. The family
have had house in Moscow, as well as
frv
md there they entertain simply but in
n open, hospitablc manner The
Countess, who is still remarkably young
looking, in spite of her strenuous life,
dresses usually on state occasions in
rich black velvet or heavy silk, trimmed
with rich, rare old lace, of which she
is very fond. and wearing a few really
fine. valuable jewels. She has never
been out of Russia, tho most of her
children are quite extensive travellers.
and being thoroIy wide awake and well
informed on all subjects of modern ad-
vancement. she Is very anxious TO see
other lands. and meet men and women
of other countries. The Countess Toll
stoi is as perfect an illustration of the
model wife and mother as the world
has ever produced. What she may have
done outside the little circle of her own
home for the great cause Of humanity"
we are not told. but in that narrow lit
tie circle her life has been a lesson to
all women. and the domestic virtues
given an added beauty and dignity by it.
Mrs. Susan Archer Weiss, in her rec
objections of that ill-starred genius, Ed
gar Allen Poe, throws an interesting
sidelight on his remarkable poem, 1.-THE
Raven" 1t seems Poe worked over this
poem for 10 years. never quite satisfied