Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-06-09
DAILY SHORT STORY
SONIA.
IOriginal1


translation Of a rare Russian book
was obliged 10 mingle with the people.
l went every day, 10y permission. TO
the library. where l received the book.
and under the eye OF an assistant Ii
brarian did my tranSlating. My watch
er was a young girl with fair north
ern complexion and eyes OF heavens
own blue. Though she did not diStrust
me she cOnscienIi0usly kept an eye on
me- Her name was Sonia. IRE
auently called on her for the meaning
OF words and such like assistance.
which she cheerfully gave I'm sweet
childlike voice. l became attached
TO her and asked her to room with me.
My principal reason for doing 50 was
this: While she was too young aud dell
cate 10 take any part in the prevailing
attitude of the people toward the gov
eminent she knew something or what
they were doing. and on one occasion
warned me against n friendship with
one OF my own sex, which / diScOn-
tinued and fortunately, for my friend
was suddenly arrested. and that was
the last l or any Of her family saw or
beard of her.
the idea Of going with me to America.
In this | encouraged her. She was so
gently disposed that Russia in its pres
ent state was no place for her. She
had enough money To pay her way TO
the United States and | agreed to lake
her into my service while preparing
my manuscript for publication. after
which l hoped to find something else
for her to do. AS l neared the close of
my work we made our preparations for
departure. Sonia apparently anxious to
get away.
We had applied for our passports.
and mine had come in from the Ameri-
can embassy. Sonia met with much
delay In getting hers. Indeed, she
feared that ] would have to go without
her The evening that my passport ar
rived we were reading my personal de
scriptiOn i'm II when IL occurred TO me
that. while we were not at all alike
our height. hair. eyes and complexion
might all he designated by the same
words.
Never mind Sonia" / said TO her.
IF necessary, / can go Oh and when
across the border can send you my
passport. / might wait for you at 10
nigsberg."
She put her arms around me and
kissed me; then we went to bed.
The next morning when l awOke l
was surprised to see Sonia's bed emp
ty, and her clothes were not where she
had laid them the night before. Aston
Ished. | got up and made thorough
search OF the room. My hest costume
was missing.
'"The little thief" l exclaimed. ITO
think that | should have been so taken
in by her. And l shed a tear not for
the loss OF my suit, but that the girl
had intended to befriend should have
treated me thus Then | noticed that
my passport was missing. Sonia must
have taken it, This somewhat changed
NV views ! remembered our CONVEX
sation OF the night before. and il occur
red TO me that she might have gone on
| under my passport and would send 1t
after passing the border. But why do
this without my consent? Why. to
avoid duplicating me, OF course.
When l went to breakfast L saw by
the faces OF those about me that some
thing unusual had happened. and was
Informed that the same morning before
daylight the chief OF police had been
stabbed ia his bed. If the assassin
was known the government kept the
knowledge to themselves.
After having lived year among such
murders my nerves were completely
unstrung. and / was more than ever
anxious to get away. But 1 could not
move without my passport. / could
not but blame Sonia for having taken
! il.
Two days later on going to my room
in the evening there lay my passport
on the table, but without a scrap of
explanation. l was delighted, for my
theory was confirmed. l set out the
next morning. expecting to see Sonia
at KOnigsberg, but was doomed to
disappointment. l saw nothing Of her,
though | remained there several days.
went 10 Bremen and took the steamer
on which / had engaged passage for
Sonia aud myself.
l was lying i'm my berth the first
night out thinking OF her whom / had
expected to be my roommate on the
voyage when the stateroOm door opened
and some one entered | turned up
the light, and there stood Sonia But,
oh. how changed. Her face. from the
soft innocent face of girl. had become
hard as n stone. She sank down on her
knees beside me and put her arms
about me. Neither spoke a word.
Presently she arose. took of her dress
and got into the other berth.
When | arose the next morning moth
ing would have induced me to share
Sonia's 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 risk of his
life
Sonia was never again the childIike
girl she had been. On the contrary.
she looked old and carewOrn. Often
in the night during our voyage she
would cry out and az times come from
her berth TO nv arms Upon her ar