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Show Severe Plalnuewa of Tolstoi's Home. On arriving at the house Count Tolstoi showed me into a little room on the right hand side of theentrance. "There," Baid he, "you can occupy that sleeping in the little library among the books, and you can dresa in the adjoining room where I dress." The dressing room was al: o the sitting room and work room of the count. In the recess by the window lay the shoemaking tools with which he used to employ himself; near the door was a washstand and mirror. "Perhaps you would like to wash now," said he, opening tho washstand. "You can wash here. "When you are done you can empty the water out so," and, suiting suit-ing the action to the word, the count stepped out on tho raised terrace in front of the house and flung the dirty water out into the garden. This was done so naturally, and with such nn evident unconscious un-conscious confidence that it was the right thing thing to do, that you cotUd not feel more than a momentary impression impres-sion as to the incongruity of the novelist, novel-ist, philosopher and nobleman, emptying his duly water for tho convenience of his guest. 1 had been told, moreover, that the count's simplicity waa more theatrical than real that no fared as a peasant and "did" his hair with a Bilver jornb, and so forth. I saw nothing of this. There waa certainly no silver plate or luxurious plenishings in the count's living rooms. Everything was severely plain and in harmony with the desire of its occupant to simplify his life. W. T. Stead in St. Louis Republic. |