Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-01-22
CONDITION MADE HIM BITTER
Only Responsibility to Family Held
Him at Home.
HAD A LONGING FOR SOLITUDE
Instances Hindu Custom of Retire
ment as His Ideal.
LETTER INDICATES FRETFUINEss
Dcpnrtcd philosopher Goes Into the
"Details of His Changing Opinions
and Expresses Great Dist"Ste
for ConvcntIonRIity.
nv GEnRGE FRAsER.

ST PETERSBURG, Jan. H.-tSpeclal 10
The Rec THE strange conclusion OF the
life Of Tostoy still is a fruitful source OF
discussion IN the Russian capital No
sooner is there an indication that interest
is diving down. than there is some strange
new turn which brings II fresh before the
public again.
For instance. It now develops that the
great philosophers departure from nome
was no sudden freak, but carefully
Thought out purpose OF many years stand
ing.
This is evidenced by a letter just made
public by Countess Sofia Andreevna Iol-
stov which was dated thirteen years ago
and superscribed, Unless l leave direc-
tions to the contrary, this letter Is TO pe
handed to $. A. after my death IL et-
fectually disposes Of all speculation as 10
the motives for Tostoy's flight from
Yasnaya Poliana. The letter is as follows;
Tormented Because Of Beliefs.
Dearest Sonia: Long have 1 been tor
mented by the discord between my life
and nv beliefs To compel you all To
change your life. the habits TO which
myself had accustomed you, ] could not;
and to leave YOU ere this also could NOT
believing that | would deprive the children
while they We're little Of that small IN
fuence which l could have over them ana
would grieve you; on the other manu. 10
continue to live as | have lived these SIX
teen years, struggling and irritating you or
falling myself under those influences and
! ter,ntations TO which I had become ac-
customed and by which ] am surrounded
I also cannot; and have now decided 10
do what / have long wished to do; go
away because, first, for me- in my adj
! vancing years. this life becomes more ana
more burdensome and / long more ana
more for solitude; and, secondly, because
! the children have grown up, my influence
/ is not needed and you all have livelier
interests which will render my absence liz
| tie noticeable.
Hindu Custom His Ideal.
"The chief thing is. that just as the
! Hindus nearing 60 retire into the woods.
and as old religious men seek TO devote
their last years to God and not to jokes
/ nuns gossip or tennis, so for me, entering
nv SEVENTEEN year. the all soul-absorbing
desire Is for tranquility, for solitude, and
! If not for entire harmony, at least not Tor
CRYING discord between my life and my be-
liefs and conscience.
"If | did this openly, there would be
entreaties pleadings criticism, quarrels,
and ! might weaken perhaps and not tul-
fiji my decsion-yet it must be fulfilled.
And so. pray forgive me IL any act causes
YOU pain and, above all, in your SOUL
! Sonia. leave me free to go and do not re-
pine or condemn me-
THAT / should have gone away from
you does not mean that I am displeased
| with YOU l know that you could not
literally could not-and cannot see and feel
as ! do. and therefore could not and cannot
change your life and sacrifice yourself for
something which you do not recognize.
And. therefore, | do not blame you, but on
| the contrary, recall with love and graft
tude the long thrty-five years of our life,
especlalv the first half of this period.
when YOU with the maternal devotion Of
your nature. so firmly and theoretically
bore that which YOU considered to be your
duty. You have given me and the world
what you could give. You cannot but be
priced for giving great motherly love and
devotion. But, during the last period OF
our Iife-the last fifteen years-we have
drifted asunder. l cannot think that 1 am
TO blame. because ] know that / have
changed not for myself, nor for other
people's sake, but because / could not
otherwise Neither can / blame you that
YOU did not follow me, but thank and low
ingIy remember, and shall continue to re-
member you for what you gave me.
"Goodby, dear Sonia. your loving.
LEO TOLSTOY."
Russia Growing Amazingly.
The Russian census, which has just been
published. shows that the empire is grow
ing enormously. The population in Europe
and Asia. which was 74536,SO) in 1858, is
now lG).O95,2lO Only q per cent OF the
population Of l16.JO5,5OO IN European Russia
| can read and write