Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1910-11-25
Famous; Russian Author Expires
in Hut Of Laborer.
HAD oVERTAxED his STRENGTH
Aged Author Left His Home on Oct
IL, Intending to End lis Life
in Solitude.

Leo Tolstoy, the famous Russian nov
elist, died here. He was unconscious
for some time before the end came
and failed to recognize his wife when
she entered his bed chamber.
It was Oct. -, when for reasons
that have not yet been fully made
clear, Tolstoy fled from his home at
Yasnaya Poliania, practically desert
ing his wife and family. To the for
mer he left a note in which he de-
clared he could no longer live sur
rounded by luxury and had fed in or
der that he might spend his last days
in solitude. The disappearance of the
author was kept a family secret for
nearly a month and then the countess,
almost distracted by her failure to get
any news OF her husbands where
abouts, made the fact known.
Count Toistoy had lived for years
a most simple life and this caused
general apprehension that his mind
might be failing. His friends and men,
bers OF his family at once organized
themselves into searching parties with
found on the estate of the Abrikosoffs,
a wealthy manufacturer, within eighty
miles of the home from which he had
fed.
AS a matter of fact, in attempting
his flight, Tolstoy, who was eighty two
nl5 t;,,1a fc
of endurance ana quickly succumbed
to the hardships of the winter jour-
ney. An Inflammation of the lungs set
in and when DR.. MakoW etZky, who
had accompanied the count on his
flight, attempted to get him back home,
it was found that he could not even
stand the railroad journey, compare
lively short as it was.
Refuge Found in Laborer's Hut.
He had to be taken from the train
at the little station of Astapova, where
a lodging was found for him in the
hut Of railroad trackman. There he
was forced to remain, the inflamma-
ton of the lungs gradually becoming
worse and sapping his vitality until
he could be kept alive only by the con-
slant administration Of stimulents to
keep up his heart action.
The fact Of his accommodation
from the Greek Catholic church
weighed heavily on Count Tolstoy's
mind. In his delirious moments he
made constant reference to the fact
and when in possession of his facul-
ties would also refer to it bitterly.
AS a consequence every possible ef-
fort was made by his friends and even
by Emperor Nicholas himself to bring
about resembling of the decree of ex-
communication, but without result.
The holy synod remained obdurate on
the point, declaring that Tolstoy him.
self had given no indication that he
desired a reconciliation and refusing
to take the initiative in the matter.
Tolstoy also refused a reconciliation
| with his family, both his wife and chill
| chamber until he lapsed into uncon-
seriousness.
! Count Tolstoy was a prolific writer
| and his books have had a worldwide
, circulation. His "War and Peace" a
; tale Of the invasion of Russia by Ma.
polean in 1872, is regarded in Russia
as being his masterpiece, though his
anna Karenina," which appeared in
1875, and "The Cossacks," found
greater favor abroad, where his
"Kreutzer Sonata" translations of
; which were published in 1890, also at
tracted wide attention.