The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-04-04
A Russian
Episode
IN Which a Passport Plays
an Important Part
h, EDN ARD K. CHANDLER

Z came iHtCI'flhl'ul W h'l' 'h'HS" Nh'
had nothing tu do with my support.
For somc years it has hccu considered
quite allowable for American girls Of
independent character aud means TO
travel abroad 10y themselves without
escort Acting upon this, resolved
TO see the world
After visiting those countries in Eu-
rope that are u common ground FOR
tourists / became curious Ia >ee Rus
sia. was warned to keep away from
the SNOWY empire on account of the
! revolutionary troubles infcsting II, but
this only heightened my desire to visit
il. ISaw Nc reason why should have
any trouble ! had ne desire 10 de.
pose the car and if had would nev-
CT have thought of contributing my
puerile powers to that cud Before
leaving America | had received u pass
port from the state department, aud,
though ! had had uo occasion To use
it in other countries, knew that |
would need il in Russia,
But before going there | resolved TO
learn something of the Russian lan-
guagc spent II winter in Florence,
Italy. whore | found a teacher. aud by
spring was enabled to converse fairly
well in Russian. Had not been thus
prepared | should not have this story
TO tell. FOR the story came from making
IN acquaintance. aud ! could not have
very well made. or at least retained,
the acquaintance without being able
10 speak Russian.
After passing 10y train the border Of
the empire young girl who got into
my compartment was good enough To
answer questions asked about ST. Pc
terSburg. giving me information Ms t.
where might abide. Girl tourists sol
dom 90 to hotels: they almost always
stop at pensions or apartments. and
the greatest drawback In their Journey
Ing alone Is arriving ut n town not
knowing of such house in which To-
locate.
The Russian girl told me that she
WAS going to -. Petersburg without a
yhapcron aud had been provided ahead
With apartments by friends When she
heard that | was an American she
seemed to take IN especial interest in
me. asking me about my country and
I, how To get there ! noticed her study
Ing my features aud 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 10 share her apartments with
me during my stay there. Since | must
20 among strangers anyway and had
become favorahly impressed with her
told her that would LOO greatly
obliged for the privilege Of STAYING
with her. ut least till could find per-
mancnt quarters
found the apartments very com
| Portable. ! supposed they were cxpcn-
! sive aud questioned my friend about
| the rental She replied that she did
not know; | need give myself no con
| Germ about that. might pay her what
ever | liked. Rut did not let the mat
tor drop till 7 had arranged the price.
Tor another lodging settled myself
| where J was for an indefinite stay. We
! were served 10y u cook and chamber
maid. There were four bedrooms.
though We needed but two. Indeed.
we were provided with every comfort.
My friends name WAS Catherine. Her
! other name being very hard To- pro.
nouncc ! do not give il here. Like
most OF her cOuntrymeu. she was very
| far both.in hair and complexion. There
was an uneasy. restless look in her
eye which did not correspond with
| naturally passive features. WHY she
came to -. Petersburg. who were the
friends who had provided her with
these apartments, what she was doing
at the capital, she did not tell me. Ma
one ever came to see her. but | fancicd
mat she must 80 10 see others. for she
spent very little time at home. l. too.
! was out great deal. seeing what
there was to he seen in the way or
sights. Indeed, the only time we met
during the day was NJ luncheon and M
dinner, but we usually spent our even.
ings together.
One night ! was awakened by an III.
ness and. getting out Of bed. went "a
| catherine'S room For assistance. Shq
was not there clock was ticking ON
| ber dresser. aud | noticed that fine
hands stood NJ half past o'clock. The
bed had not been disturbed was
very much astOnished She had said
nothing about expecting to go out dur.
ing the night ana could not under
stand how she would do 50 without nm
escort. ] went back to bed and Law
there wondering. What should I say
to her in the morning about finding
her absent? ! concluded To- wait fol
her TO speak about IL. lay till morn
ing before getting to sleep. the matte,
OF the mystery ! had stumbled upon
keeping mo awake far more than NV
illness. Indeed the former quite drov,
the latter away.
Catherine and met at breakfast
bnt she made no mention of haviuc
been out during the night. and I con
cluded not to say anything about bay
Ing been III. VI occurred TO me that
had better change my quarters. an,
after few days said To- her that
! thought had trespassed upon he
Kindness quite long enough and
/ would 90 aud visit SpVoroI ,ony;,ng =,