The Washington times., 1910-11-27
Was Greatest of Modern
Writers and Thinkers,
He Declares.

INDIANAPOLIS Nov. 27--The talents
and eccentricities or Count Tolstoy, the
great Russian writer, thinker and phil
anthropiSt, today were discussed by
Senator Albert J. Beveridge. who nine
years ago paid a visit to the counts
home. SIR. Beverage during that visit
gained an insight into the character
and worth Of the noted Russian that
could come only with personal study OF
the man.
In N1r. Beverages opinion Count Toll
StOy was the greatest OF modern writ
ers and thinkers. The Senator decIar-
ed in his visit TO the Tolstoy home he
saw on every hand evidences Of the
counts entire absorption in his literary
and philanthTOpiC work. The spacious
grounds Of the home were run down,
the house itself showed the lack Of care,
and the entire appearance Of the estate
was such as led the visitor 70 decide
that the eccentric author was so wrap
ped up in his work that such exterior
things as appearances went unnoted.
Even nire wears ago. The senator said.
Count Tolstoy appeared 10 be an old
man. although Al that time he was ap-
parently hale and hearty When the
American Senator and the Russian
count went for q stroll in the vicinitE
Of the home, the latter used a stout
staff as a walking stick. but, Dir. Bever-
idse said, seemed TO have little need OF
l.
on that short walk, the counts great
interest In the welfare OF the poor was
evidenced when he stopped TO talk with
group of old bess5r women on door
step 10y the roadside
First Master of Pen
'Of course, it is commonplace &c say
that In the passing OF Count Tolstoy the
world Of letters loses its greatest writer
and literary artist said Mr.. Beveridge-
1T is conceded. believe, that Count
TOistOy was easily the first master o.
the pen and easily the greatest literary
artist IN any country during the last
twenty-five or thirty years am not in
the least competent TO give any just re-
view Of his books or analyze his amaz-
ing creative work, but am glad to give
my personal experience with him
4 was the guest Of Cbunt TOlstOy Tor
a day at Tasnaya Polisna, his estate
some miles from TuIa where YOU leave
the railroad The road from lula pass
ing the TOlstOy estate IS a military ROAD
and Is splendidly constructed very
rare thing IN Russia The estate itself
Il made up Of gently uCdulatiEg prairie.
sometimes billy with pleasant little
valleys Just such as you see in Iowa or
certain. parts OF our own State
a little Russian village comes almost
u 10 Count IOlStOES house. don't
think II is more than a quarter OF
mile away When I was there Il was a
SQualld, pOverJy-StrIckeu looking little
village, not nearly so prosperous IN ap-
pearanCe as other Russian villages of
the same kind, notably one that
studied pretty carefully on Count Paul
Snermeteff estate Count TOlStOv-S
house IS a tWO-StOry wooden structure
on top Of a very gentle hill The
grounds surrounding Il must have been
trance were two massive stone columns.
but the neglect Of the whole place was
indicated by the fact that one OF them
was leaning awry- The driveway lead
ing I'D 70 the house was in exceedingly
bad repair, and the grounds generally
appeared 10 have had no attention paid
to them Tor a long time. Apparently
Count TOlstOy's whole soul had been
50 completely given over TO his writing
and thinking that he had become al
most ObliviOUs 70 his surroundings
Count Appeared Old
1T was nine years ago when / spent
the day with Count Tolstcy at his place
Even then ne appeared to be a very old
man. The photographs published in the
papers are very faithful reproductions
Of his apOear rce-bearT long and gray