The sun., 1916-12-31
SON HERE TO
TELL OF II WORK
By HERMAN BERNSTEIN.

80
is in this country on his first
visit. He came here to study
the American people. whom his great
father loved SO much and who in re-
cent years paid perhaps even more
attention to his writings than did the
people Of his own fathcrland.
Tall and broad ~shouldered, Ilya re-
sembles his father in stature. eyes,
nose, beard and forehead. 1iya was the
tavorite son OF the sage OF Yasnaya
Polyana. Count Leo Tolstoy took a
deep interest in his sons writings and
urged him TO concentrate on literary
work.
Count 1lya Tolstoy came to this
country for a double purpose. He de-
sircs to familiarize Americans more
intimately with the life Of the great
Russian thinker and novelist and to
describe his last days and his depar-
ture from home at the age Of 50.
His second purpose is to interest
Americans In the creation Of q home
for aged literary men who have rem
dered valuable service to humanity by
their work and who find themselves In
need toward their declining days. The
project Is to build such a home In
Yasnaya Polyana. near the birthplace
Of Leo Tolstoy. Count Tolstoy has
brought with him credentials from the
foremost authors society OF Russia and
from the Tolstoy Museum Of Moscow.
where most Of the original manuscripts
Of Leo Tolstoy are treasured.
llya Tolstoy has written a number
Of short stories which attracted con-
siderable attention in Russia. He acted
as war correspondent at the Galician
front, having spent SIX months with
the Russian army, and wrote several
short stories depicting with keen in
sight the psychology Of the soldiers in
the trenches and the horrors OF the
war. In some OF his stories Of Russian
peasant life his style bears close re-
somblancc to that OF his great father.
Ilya Tolstoy. who is about 50 years
old. Is modest and unassuming. He
speaks Of his literary work only in so
far as 1t was approved by his father.
IL his father praised one Of his stories
he Is proud OF II. because his father
was a stern critic.
Among the manuscripts he brought
with him Count Ilya Tolstoy has a
novel entitled THE Corpse" II will
be recalled that among the pos.
thumous works of Leo Tolstoy there is
a play by the name OF THE Living
Corpse which Mas published in bool;
form and produced with great sue
cess not only in Russia but also ir
France and Germany and recently also
in his country at the German Theatre
in this city. When | asked him abou,
the similarity OF the titles he said:
"One day my father inquired wha,
| was doing, what l was writing. He
always urged me to go on with my
literary work. ] confessed that | wa.
rot writing anything at the time.
told him that | could not hit upon q
subject that was worth while. He
laughed. then said:
"'The world is fun OF subjects
waiting 10 he described. Life is seeth.
ing everywhere. and there is an abun.
dance OF material wherever you turn
II YOU wish, | will give you right nov
three plots. each OF which woul,
make "A fine volume And he out,
lined three subjects.
Two OF these. however. he said n.
would Use himself. The third was tn,
story 81 THE Living Corpse | die
not know he was writing a play ~
that subject, ] learned of il only az
ter his death. In the meantime I wa.
working on the novel which deal
with practically tho ssme subject.
MY fathers play remained some