Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1913-03-21
A Russian
Episode
In Which a oasspora Plays
an Important Part
By EDWARD R. CHANDLER


At twenty two years Of age found
myself with a fortune and my own
mistress, My parents had did when
was a little girl. and was brought
up hy an aunt. who had family OF
her own and was not sorry when be
ame independent Of her. though she
mad nothing 10 do with my support
For some years it has been considered
quite allowable for American girls Of
iudependen; character aud means 10
travel abroad by themselves without
escort Acting upon this. | resolved
to see The world
After visiting those countries IN En-
rope that are common ground for
tourists / henme curious to see Rus
sia. was warned 10 keep away from
the SNOWY empire on ac,ount OF the
revolutionary troubles infeStine II. hut
this only heightened my desire to visit
it. saw nn reason why | should have
any uauhls. Ind no desire to de
l,,se the ear and IL ! had would ney
rr have thanght OF contributing my
pueriie powers to that end BEFORE
leaving America had received "a iEiss
port from the state department. ana.
though had had no occasion 70 USE
it IN other countries. | knew taat
would need 1t IN Russia.
But before going there ! resolved 10
learn something Of the Russian ian
guage. spent winter IN Florence
Italy. where found teacher. and Is
spring was enabled to converse fairly
well in Enssinn Had not been thus
prepared ! should not have ihls story
TO tell. for the story came from making
an acquaintance and could not have
very well made. or ut least retained.
the acquaintance without being abs
to speak Russian
After passing by train the border Of
the empire young girl who got Int
my compartment was good enough to
answer questions asked about st. Pc
tersbnrg. giving me Information as To
where | might abide Girl tourists sci
dom 20 to hotels: they almost always
stop at pensions or apartments, and
the greatest drawback to their journey
ing alone is arriving nj a town not
knowing Of such a house in which To-
locate.
The Russian girl told me that she
...... fI,t,,,-f,,,-.r ,,sftf,stttt
chaperon and had been provided ahead
with apartments by friends. When she
heard that / was an American she
seemed 10 take an especial interest in
me. asking me about my country and
how to get there noticed her study
ing my features and my general ap
pearance. hut why she did so | was at
loss to know. Before We reached
the capital was surprised at her pro
posing to share her apartments with
me during my stay there. Since must
go among strangers anyway and had
become favorably impressed with her
told her that | would he greatly
Obliged for the privilege Of staying
with her. At least till could find per-
manent quarters
| found the apartments very com
Portable supposed they We're exnen
slve and questioned my friend about
the rental She replied that she did
not know; need give myself no con
Germ about that; might pay hes what
ever | liked. But did not let the mat
ter drop till had arranged the price.
and since saw no occasion to hunt
for another lodging settled myself
where was for an indefinite stay. We
We're served by cook and a chamber
maid. There were four bedrooms
though we needed but two. indeed
we were provided with every comfort
My friends name was Catherine. He.
other name being very hard to pro
nounce | do not give 1t here. Like
most of her conntrymen. she was yer,
fair both in hair ind complexion Their,
was an uneasy. restless look in her
eve which did NOT correspond WITH
naturally passive features. why she
came to st. Petersburg. who were the
friends who had provided her with
these apartments. what she was doing
at the capital. she did not tell me. Ne
one ever came to see her. but fancied
that she must 20 to see others. for she
spent very little time at home |. too.
was out great deal. seeing what
there was 10 he seen in the way Of
sights Indeed, the only time we mel
during the day was at luncheon aud at
dinner. but We usually spent our even,
ngs together
One night ! WIS awakened by an III
ness and. getting out OF bed. went 10
GATHERINGS room for assistance She
was not there 4 clock was ticking on
her dresser. and noticed that ths
hands stood at half past O'Clock. The
bed had not been disturbed was
very much astonished She had said
nothing abont expecting to 20 ont dur
ing the night. and could not under
stand how she wonid do so without an
escort. won't back to bed and hay
there wondering What should / say
to her in the morning about finding
her absentg | concluded to wait for
her to speak about II. lay till morn
ing before getting TO sleep, the matter
Of the mystery had stumbled upon
keepine me awake far more than my
illness. Indeed. the TURNER quite drove
the latter away
Catherine and met at breakfast,
but she na'lr NJ nieiition Of hayiuK
heen eut duriRe the tdcnt, and tcE