The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-06-09
TIE EVENING STORY
Sonia,

Sonia.
am spinster. inst ret,,rna5 49,.
RUSSIA, and I don't wish to % t - eras
ssllt. Inc people are determined r.,
roi,,.S 0le the government is deter
-. 70 MP freedom in the bud.
Get e "stllleq at st. Petersburg not to
enldngled with conspirators b,,+
Lying come 10 Russia to make q. trans
1911 u rare Russian book I was
OpIlseu 10 mingle with the people.
H. 1i,- 49, every day, by permission. to
ene Apfarys where I received the hool-
ana under the eye of an assistant IL
" aIIdn dlo my translating. Nv watch
p was q young girl with a fair north
81 COInplex1on and eyes of heavens
W. nssH pLue. Enough she did not distrust
ne sue consclentiously kept an eve on
ne 6er name was Sonia. 1 freouent-
~ called on her for the neaninp of
words and such like assistance which
Sne cneertuIly gave in sweet child
IKE voice. 1 became attached to her
aHu asked her to room with me NV
Prlnclpal reason for doing so was this.
w nile she was too young and delicate
70 take any part in the prevailing at
uluue OF the people toward the govern
Heul she knew something of what thew
We're doing, and on one occasion warn
ed me against a friendship with one of
my own sex, which I discontinued. and
fortunately, for my friend was sudden
~ arrested. and that was the last I
| her
Sonia while my roommate conceived
the IDEA of going with me to Amer
lea In this I encouraged her. She
was so gently disposed that Russia in
us present state was no place for her.
She had enough money to pay her
way to the United States. and 1 agreed
10 take her into my service while pre-
pairing my manuscript for publication,
after which I hoped to ind something
Z GO Fr~Ta +.
close OF my work we made our prep
arations for departure, Sonia appar-
emily anxious to get away.
We had applied for our passports,
and mine had come in from the Amer
lean embassy. Sonia met with much
delay in getting hers. Indeed, she
feared that I would have to go without
her. The evening that my passport
arrived we were reading my personal
description in it when it occurred to
me that, while we were not at ali
alike, our height, hair, eyes and com
pleXion might all be designated by the
same words.
Never mind, Sonia I said to her
eff necessary, I can go on and when
across the border can send you my
passport. I might wait for you at
Konigsberg'
She put her arms around me and
kissed me; then We went to bed.
The next morning when I awoke I
was surprised to see Sonia's bed empty,
and her clothes were not where she
had laid them the night before. As
tonished. I got UP and made thor
ough search of the room. My best
costume was missing.
1.-The little theft" I exclaimed. To
think that I should have been SO taken
| IN by heri'' And shed a tear not for
the loss of my suit, but that the girl I
had intended to befriend should have
| treated me thus. Then I noticed that
I ~
| have taken it. This somewhat changed
my views. remem bered our CONVEX
sation of the night before, and it oc-
/ CURED to me that she might have gone
on under my passport and would send
/ it after passing the border. But why
lido this without my consent? Why, to
avoid duplicating me, Of course.
When I went to breakfast saw by
the faces of those about me that some
/ thing unusual had happened, ana
was informed that the same morning
before daylight the chief of police had
| been stabbed in his bed. If the assas-
sin was known the government kept
the knowledge to themselves
After having lived year among
/ such murders my nerves were com
| pletely unstrung, and I was more thar
ever anxious to get away. But
| could not move without my passport
! I could not but blame Soma Ior nav
TWO days later on going to my room
| in the evening there lay my passpor
on the table, but without scrap q
explanation. I was deilghted' LOT M
4 theory was confirmed. set out I'M
| next morning, expecting to see SonlS
| at Konigsberg, but was doomed 70 ais
| appointment 1 saw nothing OF neI
| though I remained there seVeral Gays
| I went to Bremen and took the steam
| er on which had engaged passage 10
Sonia and myself.
I was lying in my berth the FRS
| night out thinking Of her whom ha'
! expected to be my roommate on IN
| VOYAGE when the stateroom door open
/ ed and some one entered. turned VI
the light, and there stood Sonia. Bu
oh. how changed Her face, from tn
| soft innocent face Of a girl, had becom'
hard as a stone She sank down on ne ne
/ knees beside me and put her arms
about me- Neither spoke word
Presently she arose, took OF her ores
and got into the other berth.
When I arose the next morning noun
ing would have induced me to snare
co7isss secret She did not ask me to
Not a word of explanation did she give
me except that the person who return
ed my passport did so at the Ilsk o.
his life. - .,.,,a7;,v.
Girl she had been. On the contrary
she looked old and careWorn. OleeH - II
+he night during our voyage she Woule
CIV out and at times come from ne e
| berth to my arms. Upon ner arIleel /. y
New York she became my aSSlSId!l
ana left me to take position IN pup,
IT, scbool It was then I first learned
mat she was a university graduate.
teIiev7e the mystery attending the oeat u
Of the St. Petersburg chief OF ponce
| was never solved. ~-,-
THOMAS BARBER JUDSON-
QUAKER REFLECTIONS.