The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-28
AUTHORS PROTECES
D|SCRED|T TO HIM
T0lstOy's Views of Men
Proving Mistakes

st. Petersburg, June s7.-(Specal.)-Tol
stoy once told his biographer Biriukoff
that none of his work. other than lite
rary, would survive him. This is be-
ing whimsically proved. A perverse des-
tiny is plotting to thwart Tolstoy's
hopes and to prove untrue and mistaken
all his views of men.
This was first shown when the great
peace lovers death caused open war be-
tween his widow and his daughter, Coun-
tess Alexandra. Now it is shown still
palmer. BY an amazing fatality every
one whom Tostoy loved and trusted is
bringing discredit on his name.
Tolstoy's favorite peasant lad Yanya
has just proved himself a thief. Vanya
was Tostoy's darling, the most brilliant
and lovable scholar at Yasnaya Polyana
village school. To visitors Tolstoy al
ways pointed Vanya out as proof of
the store of undeveoped brain, energy,
and heart in the untutored moujik; and
later he promised Vanya in print as type
of the unspoiled, unspoilable Russian
youth. noble in soul, the mirror OF honor
and faithfulness."
Convicted of Theft
This month in the MOSCOW juvenile
court the immaculate Vanya, now aged
16, had been convicted of stealing dem
lists watch and other valuables The
dentist made pilgrimage to Tolstoy's
grave, and taking fancy to the miracle
of talent and virtue which all saw III
vanya he took him to MOSCOW to learn
the dentists trade. Vanya Immediately
comma mandeered his patrons watch, and
made for neighboring Tula. where he
went on a most unTolystoyan spree. Had
it not been for the intervention of Grand
Duchess Elizabeth Mavllrikievna, wife of
Grand Duke Constantine, Tostoyan, who
cherishes sacramentally Tostoys MEM
ory and she resolved that fallen Vanya
should go free The grand duchess is
the only woman in high circles VINO
dares to profess her Tostoyan creed
A still worse cropper than Vanyas has
been come by Tolstoys friend, V. A.
Bibikiff, formerly rich landed proprietor
of Tula province. The BibilSoff estate lay
near Yashaya Polyana, and Tolstoy took
young Bibikiff's mother as a model for
one of the heroines of Anna Karenina." 4"
In childhood Bibilxoff sat on Tolstoy
knee, and when he grew older Tolstoy
wanted to make him his secretary In
particular Tolstoy was delighted with
Bibikoff's passion for holy writ; little
Bibikiff was never so happy as when
reading Genesis or Acts; and Tolstoy de-
scribed him as "the only sane, simple
figure | know of in our perverted artis-
tocracy."
Bibikoff Murderer
And now Bible reading Bibkoff is up
tefore Tula court for a particularly sor-
did murder.
The history of Ribikoff gives one
low conception of Tolstoy's insight into
character Shortly before Tolstoy.s deaf.
PibilSoff sold his estate. migrated to Mos
COW and became a sportsman and gam
bier. When he had lost all his money
he set to earning living by selling
mines. When he wanted a wife he
climbed into the bedroom window of Anna
Paltseva, daughter of wealthy gentle
man, and carried ner off. He forced
her to live with him.
That is not the end of the betrayals of
Tolstoy by his favorites. His own peas
ants have betrayed him over the division
of the land which he left them. Tolstoy
beuueathed to the peasant of Gretsovka
large parcel of land. and accompanied
the bequest with one solemn wish. This
was that they should till the land to-
gether as common property of the whole
mir and that they should not cut it
UP into ENTHUSIASTICALLY owned lots un-
der the law passed by the late Peter
| Stolypn in 1906 They would adhere, Toll
stoy hoped to the old Russian semi
socialism in which he saw the embod
| ment Of honesty, Christian charity and
should be obeyed, Tolstoys trained in his
ideas the venerable peasant Michael
Zacharenko who was village "starosta'
and thus made sure that the land. which
he denied was property should be used
| for the benefit of all.
Countess Alexandra Tolstoy who is her
| fathers executor lately transferred the
| land to the peasants and s6ojured them
to respect the great mans wishes, and
N Within
| days the village "shkodhka'' or parlia-
ment, met under the presidency of the
venerable Zacharenko 1t passed reso-
| luton expressing undying gratitude to
Tolstoys memory, and further declaring
that the land must be cut into plots and
| owred as individual property. 'as the
good count did not understand the condi.
| tions in our villages
Name Being Exploited
Evidently in Russia it is profitless
thing to be preacher patron and profit.
And other things Toictoyan are going i'll.
Some of the Tolstoy sects are not proving
| miracles of virtue. Tolstoy's sacred name
is being exploited by rogues. Some "Tol-
stoyans' of Kharkoff nearly lost their
lives as punishment for turning Tolstyism
into a swindle. They arrived at a SIM
pie Tolstoyan village, and spread the
news that the great writer was alive.
The death story was spread, they saiC
by government which believed that Toll
stoy had sold Russia to America, They
declared that Tolstoy would arrive next
day, and that the village must at once
collect 200 roubles which would be used
for buying desks for new school. With
this yarn they took in the village and
took in most of all Feodor Halperne. a
fanatical Tolstoyan, known for hun
dred miles as the chief exponent of the
Observation-Disclosures doctrine resist not
evil" Next day the villagers discovered
the fraud so they applied the doctrine
resist not euI' by splitting open the