The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-11-21
Peasants Weep As They View
Body Of Their Friend
In the LOW|y Hut
FUNERAL WILL Be HELD
At YASNAYA POL|ANA
mains BE Cremated With Simple
Ceremonies but Programme
Mny he Changed

| Astapova, Russia, November 20.-Peas-
| ants all day long passed through the
death chamber, hung with pine boughs,
where Tolstoi lies. Many of them knelt
beside his bier. The silence at times
was broken by orthodox chants for the
repose of the soul of the dead Countess
Tostoi sat beside the body for hours.
often kissing the face. THE light of
the world is out" she said repeatedly
She left the hut only to attend matlns
in the school chapel, expecting that
requiem would be sung. When informed
that this was not permitted she tainted.
Tolsto left written wish that he be
buried without pomp, wreaths or rites
under Poverty Oak" on a hillock at
Yasnaya Polana, where he played as a
child and where the peasants were ac-
customed to congregate. The funeral will
be held on Tuesday and the police have
| been modified to prevent public demon
strations.
Tolstofs death occurred peacefully at 8
| o clock Sunday morning. 1t Was due
| Immediately to heart failure following
| Inflammation of the lungs. Thus the most
impressive figure of his age finds his
| souls peace.
He quilted his home and family 10
days ago to find solitude in the belief
| that the hand of death was already
| upon him. True to his answering and
| uncompromising search for truth, he died
| as he had lived, without reconciliation
| with the church., his dying words breath
ing sympathy for afflicted humanity:
"Many millions in the world are suf-
fering; why are you concerned for me?'
Only Physicians Present
Only the physicians were present in the
room at the time of his death, the mem-
bers of his family, including his wife,
having been admitted previously. Toll
stoi was then unconscious and never
vived. Members of the clergy during the
last days made pressing attempts to
: gstia entrgrCe rc ssscis ruotii, with
view of Inducing MIN 10 return to the
church, but the doctors repulsed them on
the ground that their patient was too
i'll to receive them. The Emperor and
his ministers are anxious that Tolstoi
shall be buried with the rites of the
church but the holy synod is strongly
| against this. and probably he will be
buried without the administration of such
| rites, unless the Emperor commands
otherwise.
Popular feeling is universally for
religious funeral and never befor< was
there such confusion and bewilderment
over the body of great man who was
regarded by the world as one of the
SincereSt Of Christians.
Awaiting the summons
The crowd that gathered around the hut
where Tostoi lay dying in the early Sun
! day morning hours awaited breathlessly
a verdict of DIR. Thtcisrovslxy and DR..
Usoff, two of the leading heart specialists
| of Moscow. who had been hurrtedly
called into consultation. The former had
carried Tolstoi safely through a similar
crisis in 1901 in the Crimea, and the hopes
of the people rested on him.
The examination was brief. lasting less
than half an hour. Tolstoi failed to rec
ognize either of the physicians, and
asked:
"Who are these strangers7"
When informed he said:
"What fine men,
In spite of this natural reluctance TO
spread disoouraging reports the consult
ing physicians could not see their way to
hold out any further hope However, they
| hoped to lessen the pain of the aged pa
tient. whose parting hours were merci-
fully free from physical suffering. His
heart succumbed shortly after he had is
| sued from under the influence of an IN
| jeeted stimuant
| He died without reganing conscious
| ness. In the interval between the last
two attacks of cardiac failure the patient
| seemed to be comfortable and his face
was clear of pain.
| Heurtbrenkfng N92nt
Throughout heartbreaking night
great crowd made up from the various
| elements pressed around the low hut.
| There were distant relatives of the agea
author, Tolstoans, villagers and many
| churchmen, among them the Abbot Var-
| sofonius who did not lose hope until he
end of seeing Tolstoi and extending 10
| him the olive branch on behaif or the
| church.
| All alike stood spellbound knowing that
| a matchess personality was departing as
| the Sunday dawn dspelled the foggy, raw
! November night. Virtually the whole
population of Astapova was there. Then
a voice from the hut came quietly:
Leo Nichoaevich is dead"
There was a moment of silence Then
| every head was barred and there were
sounds everywhere of sobbing.
One called out: His heart was burst
by his unbounded love Tor humanity
This and similar phrases rang from
| mouth to mouth through the weeping
Russians gathered there
Peasants View Body
Later in the day all the peasants in the
| district fioclled here. None was excluded
| from the death chamber. through when
| there was a constant stream OF visitors
| including many school children Inc
chamber is decorated with pine branches
The body has been embalmed and VIII
be transferred to Yasnaya Poliana All
visitors have been given permission 10
photograph the body IL they wish. NJ
Gunzberg the sculptor. will take death
mask 1t is said that Tolstoi expressed
a wish to be buried on the Hill at fas-
maya Poliana. where he played as child'
but that the funeral should be simple.
without ceremonial or flowers.
The family, however, has agreed not
to interfere with any honors that the
public may desire to pay. Friends OF
the dead writer have started a move
ment for the acquisition of the hc1se
where he died as national memorial
Grand Duke Nicholas Michaelovitch has
sent a message to Countess Tolstoi say
ing:
my whole soul is with you and your
family at this sad hour
Numerous other kilograms of sympathy