Page:The Complete Works of Lyof N. Tolstoi - 08 (Crowell, 1899).djvu/248

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YASNAYA POLYANA SCHOOL

"And then we came to the bazaar; and I saw some one selling cakes[1] and I wanted to take some without paying for them. And father says to me: 'don't take them, else they will take your cap!'

"I ask: 'Why should they take my cap?' and father says: 'don't take them without money,' and I say: 'Then give me a grivna[2] and I will buy myself some little cakes!'

"Papa gave me one and I bought three cakes and I ate them up and I said: 'father how good these cakes are!'

"When we had done our shopping, we went back to the horses and watered them and gave them their hay and when they were fed we harnessed them and went home and I went into the cottage and undressed and began to tell everybody how I had been to Tula and how father and I had been to church and said our prayers. And then I went to sleep and dreamed that I saw Father starting for Tula again. I immediately woke up and saw that everybody was asleep and so I took and went to sleep again myself."

CHAPTER XXVIII

RECITATIONS AND EXAMINATIONS

From the very foundation of the school, and even at the present time, our exercises in sacred and Russian history are conducted in this way: The children collect around the teacher, and he, using no other guide than the Bible and Pogodin's "Norman Period" and Vodovozof's "Collection for Russian History," tells the stories, and all begin to talk at once.

When the confusion of voices is too great the teacher calls a halt, and has one speak at a time. As soon as one begins to grow confused he calls on the others. When he perceives that some have failed to compre-

  1. Kalatchi.
  2. A ten-kopek piece.