The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-11-20
ApaloVo, Russia, Nov. 20.-Count
Tolstoi died here last night.
sketeh of HIs Lie.

sketch OF His Life.
On ar least two occasions Count Leo
Tolstoi has been reported as dying, and
three years ago his death was reported.
Eight years ago the papers here ami
abroad were filled with eulogies. and then
again three years back a message tele-
phoned from Moscow to 81. Petersburg
said that he had died at his country seat,
Yasnays PoIiana. in the government Of
Tula.
Tolstoi was born on August %, 1923,
hfty miles south of Moscow He was =
/ descendant in the twentieth generation Of
German named Indris. who went To
Russia in 1853 with two sons and
retinue Of 5000 and who being baptized
in the Orthodox Church, was given the
name of Leonty. His great-grandson re-
eeived from the Grand Duke Vassili
Tyomy the surname Tolstoi, and the
count dates from the coronation of tie
Empress Catherine. being bestowed upon
4 PateF*. .Andryyich Tolstoi as part consid-
/ eration for his services in the trial and
execution Of the CzareVitch Alexis.
OrBbaa at Early Age.
The mother OF Count Leo Tolstoi, who
traced her descent from Rurik. died
when ne was three years Of age, and his
father five years later. The boys early
! life was spent in the village. his early
I schooling being under the influence Of
/ the general feeling among wealthy Rus
SLAMS that religion was a superstition
and not necessary for the best develop
ment OF really cultured people. He en-
/ tered the Kazan University in 1874. as
a student in Turco-Arabic literature, but
/ falling to pass the examinations was
transferred TO the department Of law.
/ In 1917 he petltioned TO be stricken
! from roll of the university, the reasons
( for which he gave in later life. first. the
/ fact that his brother had finished his
course. and second, that reading the
/ Esprit des Lois" had opened TO him "A
new sphere Of independent mental work,
whereas, in his opinion, the university
with its demands, Tar from aiding such
work, only hindered it.
In 1851 TOlstOi went TO visit his brother
in the Caucasus, and there be was pro-
foundly Influenced by the rugged wild
ness of that country. Entering the
Horse Guards as g volunteer. he re-
NAMED in military service eight years
Ia January. 1854. two months after the
Crimean war began, he was made a
commissioned officer. and served with
distinction in the campaign as cOmman-
| der OF a mounted battery
LiOnized at 81, Petersburg.
During the period before this he had
written many short stories, which at
/ tracted the attention of the literary set
in Moscow and ST. Petersburg. The war
! furnished him with new experience.
which was valuable in his later work
When il was ended, ToIstoi went to
st. Petersburg. where. a nobleman. a
returning hero, and a litterateur. he was
much Eonized. To the years spent In the
capital belong the works OF the strictly
/ literary type upon which TolstoFs fame
as a great literary artist rests. Among
these, the most noted are Childhood.
| Boyhood, and Youth, THE Cossacks,
| ''Sebastopol Sketches" War and Peace.
Anna Karenina
| His surroundings in the capital and his
] own manner OF life there soon disgusted
Tolstoi Afterward he referred 10 himself
/ as having been during that period a mur-
derer, adulterer, robber and thief. though
4 his conduct was not OF the sort that is
! usually characterized by such terms.
| Going back TO Yasnaya, Poliana, he made
/ his home there for part OF each year
during the rest Of his life.
Count TolstOl was married in Septem-
/ ber. 1852, TO the daughter of a professor
| in the University of Moscow. In her So
| eiety he found the utmost comfort and
| happiness. Though they had nine chill
dren. the cares of motherhood did not pre-
vent the countess from serving as her
| husbands amanuensis all through his la
bOrs as an author
Frees All HIS Serfs.
! IN advance of the famous decree OF
emancipation of Alexander II. Tolstois
first act after he had retired to his coun-
try estate was to free his serfs. He is
said to have been the first nobleman in
Russia to take this course. Then he
busted himself with plans for the educa-
tion and betterment of the peaSantry
1 Becoming wrought up over what seemed
10 him the purposelessuess of life he
contemplated suicide. but after considera-
tion he gave this idea up and delved
! instead into all sorts of philosophic in
vestigation. From observation of the
manner OF living among hts peasants,
| ToIstoi at length reached the conclusion
that a literal following of the Gospels
resulted I'm a truly useful and happy life
He donHed the garb Of a peasant. settled