Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-11-26
VISITS WITH
COUNT TOl.ST0I
OTTUMWAN CALLS AT Home OF
RUSSIAN SAGE AND HAS IN
TERvIEW WITH WRITER.
TELLS OF MEETING
Howell CressweIl Writes Parents Of
Visit With Famous Man Of
Letters While Tour
ing Russia.

/
A letter from their son Howell
Cresswell has been received by MI.
and Mrs. F. B. Cresswell, lit North
College Street, in which is related an
interview with the famous Count
Leo Tolstoi whose death was an
nounced within the past week. MI.
Cresswell is travelling through Europe
studying languages in the old world
and has been thus engaged almost four
| years. He is also photographing
places he visits and selling English de-
scrigtive stories of the countries
visited. The letter was written in
Moscow, Russia, to his parents, and
| owing to the recent death OF the re-
nowned Tolstoi, his letter, extracts
from which appear below, will be
found full of interest to the readers.
The letter deals with visit to the
home of Tolstoi and an interview with
the famous sage of Russia.
Dear Folks:
81 have had an interview with
Tolstoi. Was in Toula three days ago.
When reached the station ZasyakA
at in the morning, found Tolstois
sleigh there with the driver, awaiting
the mail. got into conversation
with Tozoostchick, the driver, who
said he would take me to Tolstoi's
home and offered me huge fur over
coat which TolstOi always provided IN
case any one might be coming down.
We were comfortably seated and
started on our drive. The last time
was at the Tolstoi place was autumn,
when the foliage was so beautifully
gorgeous in coloring. At this time it
was Is degrees below zero and the
scene was different. Everything was
covered with the silvery snow and was
most beautiful. AS we flew along, the
horses hoofs sent the powdered ice
into my face. During the ride the
light of the early dawn gradually in
creased before the sun rose at
o'clock To the north was most
beautiful reddish purple glow that
threw it's reflection on the snow COW
cred pines and every thing glittered
until thought it was fairy land. Be
fore coming to the estate we drove
through beautiful valley and then
were ushered into the grounds through
big stone gates (su pots). We
alighted and an attendent in uniform
took off my coat as the driver entered
with the big mail pouch. AS we went
up the stairway heard the count ask
in Russian if we were cold and who
the stranger was The driver an
swered an American The count said,
Tell him to come up here where it
is warmer His voice shook and
could tell that it was the voice of an
old man.
II ascended the stairs, and there
leaning over the railing was the old
king dressed in long black robe. His
hair IS long and gray, as was his
beard His eyes were dark, bright
and soft. I saluted him in Russian.
He answered me in English and said, !!
oh, good morning, sir, l am so glad to
see you. You see am better now.
l was sick but am now able to be
about l told him he was i'll the last
time was there and I could not see
him He said, 'Ah, but just now, only
three days ago, had bad attack OF
Influenza Perhaps you read it in the
papers, told him had just travelled
from Constantinople and had not seen
a recent paper. He then said, Well, |
well, l am glad to see you. Please go
down stairs and have some coffee,
look at my books and make yourself /
at home. But beg your pardon, Mr..
Cresswell, will you tell me something. |
Hampton's q Think. magazine, they |
write me they have 100000 sub
scribers. l was sorry to tell him |
knew nothing of the magazine Unjust
be new. Well, will show you the
letter later. Now If you will permit !
me I will look over my mail So |
left him and one Of his physicians
joined me down stairs and we were
soon drinking our coffee and eating
our bread together.
"After this we were ushered up to
the grand salon. In it were three large
double windows at each end of the
room. The wood work was painted
white. Three yellow canaries were
piping away in their cages. The long
table was filled with huge vases
filled with roses. Tolstoi's daughter
informed me they had been sent by
friends in Nice, France. There were
several portraits of Tolstoi and other
paintings on the wall.
Statues and busts were here and
there, and two grand pianos. baby's !
high chair and other furnishings were
noticeable photographed the place
in colored photography and in the
ordinary Will send you some in Il |
few days. The counts daughter had
never seen any of the colored photo
graphs. The count said he would like
to see some and promis ed to send
him one Of Taznoya Polyana and one
of the Bosphorus. The count then
disappeared for his promenade. AS !
stepped outside later saw him in his !
sleigh and asked him if might photo
graph him. He said, oh, if you please, |
do He is such AM accommodating
old fellow. His sleigh was drawn by |
two horses, tandem. While took the |
photo, he said We'll, now did you get |
me or the horse or the driver or all OF /
us?' He was shaking with laughter. |!
You have nothing but the tail of the
horse, do believe said he. l told
him when l printed it, | would leave !
the tail ont. He replied, Oh, don't.
That would insult the horse, but be |
sure and put me in He then went into /
the house to lie down At 3 O'Clock,
the driver took me back to Toula.
"Your son.
Howell S. Cresswell."
The fact that money is |
conoowbat Scarca inst now and the |