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HOW MUCH LAND A MAN NEEDS

BY LEO TOLSTOY

No one else has done so much for great, half-barbarous Russia as Leo Tolstoy. Especially has he worked to help the serfs, as

the Russian peasants are called. Tol

stoy's long life, beginning in 1828, has been singularly rich. His grandfather was one of the first landholders of his day to build comfortable homes for his serfs. Tolstoy's mother died when he was too young to remember her, but her spiritual qualities of strong attachment and devotion to lofty ideals became his by inheritance. A kind aunt took the mother's place toward the five children. In his Reminiscences, Tolstoy recalls the merry

Yuletide masquerades, in which the whole great household joined, and how, each evening, on bidding his grandmother and aunts good night, he and his brother always kissed their hands. Wonderfully interesting is his account of a little brotherhood formed by this beloved brother of eleven years, Leo, then six, and a third boy comrade, whose purpose was to banish trouble from the world and make all men love one another. Tolstoy, after a university education, went into the army. But a spirit of unrest pursued him, and it was not until he entered on a life of study, writing and personal service to the poor, that he became content. He has given up wealth and position to live as a peasant in order to understand better the peasant's lot. In this attitude of service he has been aided by the devoted sympathy of his wife. As a novelist Tolstoy is dramatic and deeply thoughtful. On Tolstoy's eightieth birthday, celebrated in 1908, he received congratulations from all parts of the world.

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Pahom, a Russian in Tolstoy's story, was a contented farmer until the boasting of his sister-in-law from the city made him resolve to grow rich. By sacrifice and toil he acquired considerable property. Not satisfied with this, he kept adding to his wealth until money-getting became a passion. Learning that in the wild country of the Bashkirs, land might be had for the asking, he set out for this country accompanied by a laborer and laden with gifts for the Bashkir natives. Arrived, he was told by the people that he must see their Elder before he could obtain his desire.

While they were still discussing this, a man wearing a cap of fox fur was seen approaching. All arose and became silent. The interpreter said: "This is our Elder.”

Pahom at once took the richest dressing-gown and five pounds of tea and presented them to him. He accepted the gifts, and when he had taken the seat of honor the Bashkirs proceeded to explain matters to him. He heard it all, smiled, and said in Russian: "Why not? Take whatever suits you. We have plenty of land."

"I am very grateful to you," Pahom said. "It is true you have plenty of land, and I want but little. I would like to know, however, just how much will be mine. It had better be measured and a title deed drawn up. You know we are all liable to die at any moment, and although you are a kind people to give me the land, your children may take it away from me."

The Elder laughed. "We will give you the title, and will deed it as firmly as possible."

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"And what will be the price?" asked Pahom. "We have but one price-a thousand roubles a day." Pahom did not understand this.

"How many dessiatines will that make?" he asked. "We do not know how to measure," replied the Elder; our price is for the day. As much as you can travel around in one day is yours; that is our way of measuring, and the price is one thousand roubles."

Pahom was surprised. "That will be a great deal," he said; "one can make a wide circuit in a day."

The Elder laughed. "It will all be yours, on one condition, namely, that if you do not return on the same day to the place you started from, you will forfeit your money."

"But how shall you know where I go?"

"We shall remain on the spot from whence you start; you will go and make the circuit, and our men will follow you on horseback. Wherever you say, there they will plant poles, and afterwards we will plow it from pole to pole. You can make the circuit as wide as you like, only you must return before sunset to the spot you start from. What you encircle is to be yours."

Pahom agreed, and decided to start early. They chatted a while, drank tea and kumiss, ate more mutton, and at night Pahom was put on a feather bed, the Bashkirs promising to be ready at the place agreed upon, at daybreak.

Pahom stretched himself out on the feather bed, but could not fall asleep. He was thinking about the land, and what he would do with it. "Promised Land, indeed," he thought. "I can easily make a circuit of fifty versts. The days are long now, and there ought to be ten thousand dessiatines in it. Then I shall be beholden to no one. I can buy two teams of oxen, hire two workmen and cultivate the best land, using the rest for pasture."

He was unable to drop to sleep, and only before dawn managed to snatch a few winks. Hardly had he fallen to sleep when he had a dream. He dreamed he was lying in the same tent, and that he heard some one outside laughing. Wishing to find out who it was, he went out and saw the Elder with both hands on his stomach, sitting, and laughing with all his might. Just as Pahom approached him, asking what he was laughing about, he saw that it was not the Elder, but the merchant who had stopped at his house, and had told him about the land. As he was about to ask him when he had come there, he saw it was the merchant no longer, but the peasant who had rested at his house formerly. And he, also, changed and became a devil with horns and hoofs, who sat there laughing. Pahom thought, "What can he be looking at and laughing?" He went towards him and saw a man lying on the ground, barefooted, and as white as a sheet. As he examined him closer he recognized himself; he

woke up.
"Queer dreams," he thought, and looked out.
He saw the daylight breaking, and knew that it must be
time to start and wake the others.

Pahom arose, roused his workman and told him to har-
ness, then went to wake the Bashkirs. "It is time to
start," he said. They arose, assembled, and the Elder
arrived. Again they drank kumiss and wanted to treat
Pahom with tea, but he refused and said, "If we are
going, it is time we were on our way.'

The Bashkirs got ready, mounted their horses and
started, Pahom with his workman following in his cart.
When they arrived at the steppe the day was beginning
to break. They ascended a hillock, got off their horses,
and formed a group. The Elder pointed out to Pahom
the land. "This is all ours," he said, "choose."

Pahom's eyes sparkled. Fine, rich meadows, as even
as the palm of one's hand. Wherever there was a ravine,
there the variety of vegetation was still greater, and the
grass stood as high as one's chest. The Elder took off
his fur cap and placed it on the top of the hillock.
"Here is the mark," he said. "Put your money on
it. Your man will stay here; start from here and return.
All you encircle is yours."

Pahom took out the money, placed it on the hat, took
off his caftan, tightened his belt, put his bag, containing
bread, in his breast pocket, fastened a brandy flask to his
belt, pulled up his boots and prepared to start. He was

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