THE PRINCESS SONIA [Illustration: “THE BEAUTIFUL YOUNG WOMAN ... HAD STEPPED BACK FROM HER EASEL.” (SEE PAGE 3.)] THE PRINCESS SONIA BY JULIA MAGRUDER [Illustration] WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY CHARLES DANA GIBSON [Illustration] NEW YORK THE CENTURY CO. 1895 Copyright, 1895, by THE CENTURY CO. THE DE VINNE PRESS. TO GENEVIEVE LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS “THE BEAUTIFUL YOUNG WOMAN ... HAD STEPPED BACK FROM HER EASEL” _Frontispiece_ FACING PAGE “A LITTLE AMERICAN CHATTERBOX” 6 “A TALL OLD MAN” 16 “THE PRINCESS WAS VERY TALL” 20 “‘IT WILL BE QUITE SAFE, I SEE’” 31 “‘AH, I HAVE MADE A MISTAKE, I SEE’” PAGE 37 “‘ALICE HAS A FINE VOICE’” 39 “IN THE AMERICAN COLONY” 43 “HER HEAD IN ITS LARGE PLUMED HAT” 50 “‘IS IT YOU, MARTHA?’” 58 “‘OH, I AM SO, SO SORRY’” 60 “THE MAN WHO STOOD WAITING TO GIVE THE BRIDE” 76 “‘I KNEW IT WAS ANGUISH TO YOU’” PAGE 92 “AS SHE HAD SEEN HER ONCE BEFORE” 93 “‘OH, SONIA, WERE YOU EVER REALLY AS HAPPY AS THAT?’” 98 “‘I BEG YOUR PARDON,’ HE SAID AGAIN” 104 “AMONG THE FLOWER-STALLS” 106 “SONIA PASSED VERY NEAR HIM” 124 “SHE PUT ON A LONG CLOAK” 196 THE PRINCESS SONIA I