The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1905-09-21
S O N l A..
(Original.1

again. LIE people are ueteTMlQou 10
be free, and the government Is de-
termined to nip freedom in the bud
l was warned at st. Petersburg not
to get entangled with conspirators,
but having come to Russia to make a
translation Of rare Russian book I
was obliged to mingle with the people.
l went every day, by permission, to
the library, where l received the book,
and under the eye of an assistant IL
brarian did my translating My watch
er was a young girl with IL fair north
ern complexion and eyes of heavens
own blue. Though she did not distrust
| me she conscientiously kept an eye on
| me. Her name was Sonia. I fire.
| quently called on her for the meaning
| of words and such like assistance,
which she cheerfully gave i'll a sweet
| childlike voice. I became attached
| to her and asked her to room with me.
| My principal reason for doing so was
| this: While she was too young and deli
cate to take any part in the prevailing
attitude Of the people toward the gov
| ernment she knew something of what
they were doing, and on one occasion
warned me against friendship with
one Of my own sex, which l discon-
tinued, and fortunately, for my friend
| was suddenly arrested, and that was
the last l or any Of her family saw or
heard Of her.
Sonia while my roommate conceived
the idea of going with me to America.
In this encouraged her. She was so
gently disposed that Russia in it's pres
ent state was no place for her. She
had enough money to pay her way to
the United States, and agreed to take
her into my service while preparing
my manuscript for publication, after
which l hoped to find something else
for her to do. As 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 in 1t when it occurred to me
that, while we We're not at all alike,
our height, hair, eyes and complexion
might all be designated by the same
words.
"Never mind, Sonia,'' l said to her.
"If necessary, can go on and when
across the border can send you my
passport. might wait for you at Ko-
nigsberg."
She put her arms around me and
kissed me; then we went to bed.
The next morning when / awoke !
was surprised to see Sonia's bed emp
ty, and her clothes were not where she
had laid them the night before. Aston
ished, l got up and made thorough
search Of the room. My best costume
was missing.
The little thief" l exclaimed. ITO
think that should have been SO taken
in by her" And shed tear not for
the loss Of my suit, but that the girl
: had intended to befriend should have
treated me thus. Then I noticed that
my passport was missing. Sonia must
. have taken it. This somewhat changed
my views. I remembered our conver
sation of the night before, and it occur
red to me that she might have gone or
under my passport and would send il
after passing the border. But why dc
this without my consent? Why, tt
. avoid implicating 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 beer
, stabbed in his bed. If the ASSASSIN
was known the government kept thu
knowledge to themselves.
After having lived year among sucl
murders my nerves were completed!
unstrung. and was more than eve
anxious to get away. But l could no
? move without my passport. | coult
not but blame Sonia for having takel
y it.
Two days later on going to my room
in the evening there lay my passpor
on the table, but without Il scrap o
\ explanation. l was delighted, for In.
theory was confirmed l set out tn
|, next morning, expecting to see Soni
. at Konigsberg, but was doomed t
disappointment. saw nothing of hel
though I remained there several days
went to Bremen and took the steame
y on which l had engaged passage 70
q Sonia and myself.
+ l was lying in my berth the frs
I night out thinking of her whom l ha
+ expected to be my roommate on til
voyage when the stateroom door opene
and some one entered. l turned u
the light, and there stood Sonia. Blu
Is oh, how changed. Her face, from tn
~ soft innocent face of a girl. had becom
% bard as Il stone. She sank down on he
st knees beside me and put her arm
= about me. Neither spoke wore
Presently she arose, took off her dres
and got into the other berth.
When arose the next morning notl
IL ing would have induced me to shal
1e Sonia's secret She did not ask me t
ia Not word of explanation did she giS
me except that the person who return