Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 66, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 November 1910 — TOLSTOY PASSES INTO DEATH SLEEP [ARTICLE]

TOLSTOY PASSES INTO DEATH SLEEP

End of the Career of the Famous Russian Author. 1

Count Tolstoy, who died at Astopova, Russia^ 0 passed aw ay ten days after he had left his home at Yasnaya Pollana in search of solitude and peace of soul. The physicians allowed his wife and family to enter the death chamber, but the count was unconscious. There were six doctors in attendance. two of them being heart specialists, who had been summoned from Moscow on Friday, Their presence drew a characteristic remark from the patient when he was recovering from the second of three violent cardiac attacks which preceded his last hours. “There are millions of people in the world,” said the dying count, “and many of them are suffering. Why then are you all around the bed of one sick man.” These are said to have been his last coherent words, although he lived, several hours after uttering them. When he recovered from one attack he took the hand of his daughter, Latiana, who was beside his bed, and said: “Now comes death. That’s all.” Orthodox burial w r as forbidden by the church, which made every possible effort to lift the ban of excommunication, but the count at no time met the emissaries half way. Countess Tolstoy sat besides the bier for hours, often kissing the face of the dead count. “The light of the world is gone out,”

she said repeatedly. She left ihe hut only to attend matins in the school chapel, expecting that a requiem would be sung'. When informed this was not permitted she swooned. Numerous telegrams of sympathy have come from organizations and individuals. One of them was from the Grand Duke Nicholas Michaelovitch, which read: “My whole soul is with you and your family at this sad moment” Friends of the dead writer have begun a movement for the acquisition of the station master’s house where he died as a national memorial.