El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-02-15
GET
TOLSTOI' s
LANDS
Widow of Russian Philan-
thrOpist Retains But 500
Acres Of His Estate.
CHANGES ARE MADE
IN RUSSIAN STAMPS

NT PETERSBURG. Russia, Feb. Is
Peasants who worked the estate
~ at Yasnaya Polyiana of the late
count Leo TOlstOi, are now owners Of
a greater part of the land they for
merly titled as paid labOrers- This
transfer is a carrying out Of TOlstoTs
conviction that the ownership Of large
areas Of land by one individual was
wrong in principle. and the project to
convey this property to the Tolstoi
peasants has Just been put through by
the executors Of the estate.
Countess TOlstOi retains about 500
acres Of the estate, including the park
around the house and the grave OF the
count About 100 acres pass TO the
peasants. though the fun legal title
will not be conveyed to them to pre-
vent any Of them selling their portions
under the agrarian legislation now in
Count Tolstoi's sons have been pro-
Xided for by the sale Of other lands;
1t IS understood that they have re-
ceived about $500, OO0-
Ambassadors offended.
The dignity OF an ambassador to a
foreign court IS thing to be reck-
oned with. Such an envoy represents
the person OF his sovereign, and a
slight TO him is a slight to his master
Representing a ruler in person, an am
bassadOr approaches the court 10 which
he IS accredited with the proper ex-
pectation that he be received with the
same degree Of pOmp and ceremony
that would be accorded the ruler OF
MS state were the latter personally
present
The annual celebration of Blessing
the Waters Of the Neva," which Oc-
ours January 10, and in which the en-
peror, as head Of the church, partici-
patesB was marked this year BY an
am oassadOrial boycott as a protest
against an ln1racLlOn OF their d1plO-
matte dignity only the ambassadors
Of the two repu blics, France and the
United states, and the representative OF
Turkey attended. the other ambassa-
doris absented themselves from the
junction at the Winter palace, since il
enlalls attendance at court lunch
con Tor which the emperor does not
remain. The ambassadors, presuming
themselves to be on a footing Of equal
lIy with the emperor, felt they could
not remain for a function for which the
host did not stay. Their irritation had
been tanned by an incident on the
SitlPeroI n2meday, when the diplo-
Induc corps turned out IN fun force at
the invitation of the ministry of the
court for the church service at the
kazan cathedral. to find Russian Off
Gals OF minor rank only in attendance.
IL was at the blessing Of the waters On
j anuary. 1903 that a charge Of crane
shot was fired at the emperor and his
cOrJege from salut1ng cannon STA
toned on the opposite side Of the river I
A bag OF bullets was in some manner
slipped into the gun in front Of the
gun Of the battery was turned around /
TO bear on the temporary chapel on the
ice IN which part Of the ceremony
taxes place After an INVESTIGATION the
incident was officially declared to be
an accident, due to a charge having I
oeen LETT IN the gun after drill the day I
before, but no satisfactory explanation !
oI why the gun was aimed as IL was
has ever been given. To prevent acct |
tents al ms year the saluung battery I
vs. paced on one OF the Islands OF /
the fortress, and the signal for the
saIute was conveyed TO IL by a rocket. /
Change in Russian Stamps.
Russian postage stamps have hereto /
Tore never been decorated with nor 4
traits Of Russian rulers Tor the resson 4
hat ultra-lOyal Russian pOstmasters
)bJect to the sacrilege involved in ]
'lchlhS up a rubber eanceling stamp 1
covered with ink and hitting the en-
oeror sharply in the face with it. a \
proceeding distinctly necessary for the
'rolectlon of the revenues Of the post
But the old order changes. and in
'plIe OF protests from DOstmasters
WITH Old-time sentiments Of right and !
y -rOnsr the pOsloI1lce Will issue on
March new series Of stamps embeI-
lsheO with portraits of ROmanOffs, |
OYerelgnS Of Russia past and present I
This new issue is in connection with I
he celebration of the third centenary |
Il the accession to the RomanOff dyn- I
sly 70 the throne The stamps Of seven I
no ten copeck denomination. the prin-
1pal ones in use for inland and for
Ign correspondence respectively, bear ]
las II
Wants News; Holds Up Vessel.
A diplomatic protest to the Greek
government has resulted from an anus
ng "holdup of the Russian mail I
teamer. 'Chikhacheff," on its last trip |
rom odessa to Alexandria by the
-reek governor of Rhodes" The Z
teamer was halted at sea off the island
Z TenedOs. by rifle shots from a slOoD
BAD OF armed Greeks, and the captain. I
IN hating. was informed that the gov !
ired the latest newspapers The angry ,
alderman refused the demand in en-
hattie language, resumed his voyage :
nd on his arrival at Smyrna reported ,
ne facts to the Russian representative
{ Athens.
The island of Rhodes was occupied {
Y the Italians during the Ita1O-Tur- / 7
ish war and is still held bv them. so I
he appearance Of a Greek governor !
somewhat premature.
Old Monastery Passes.
The story Of IiOdOr, the mad monk" S
Tsaritzin, who. after defying the Z
u other authorities. has been finally I
crooked and sent back to his home :
-llage as an ordinary layman. passes /
10 It's last chapter with the CONVEX +
;ene OF his exploits, into nunnery. :
ne monks. his adherents. have been -
altered among the various other mon ,
sterles OF Russia The nuns. arriving q
Isarltz1n TO take over the buildings ,
we Deen met by such abuse and I
treats Dy the thousands of IiOdOr's I s
blowers that the convent is guarded C
? the police q
hat had once been the "Lorraine's"
lusic room vas now the saloon din y
IL room, while a new center staircase [ y
s7e.nr Il -N.e.r- 3