El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-08-02
By Anton Tschekoff.

IT was stormy November night. The
4 old banker walked restleSsly up and
- down the floor OF his library HIS
thoughts went back to a night fifteen
wears before when he had given a
great dinner
Around his table were sitting learned
and noble men whose thoughts and aims
had always been TO further the progress
of humanity. Conversation drffted from
one subject to another and at last the
subject of capital punishment was
brought up. Several of the guests
thought it should be abolished and i'm
prisonment for life made to take its
place.
Il cannot agree with you" said the
host 81 have neither tried one nor the
other, but think capital punishment is
more just and more humane than i'm
prisonment for lire. The one kills the
criminal instantly, the other inch by
inch"
Both are to be equally condemned,
said one of the guests, for both take
away from a man his life and you have
no right to take from man what you
cannot give back"
Among the guests was a young law
yer of twenty-five, who had remained
silent and merely listened TO the ar
guments of the others Now he sud
denly said Eyes both capital punish
ment and Imprisonment are bad. but
given the shoice 1 would choose i'm
prisonment. To live even. if only like a
plant, is better than not to live
NO" cried the banker, Il bet two
million rouples you would not let me
put you in cell for five years OF your
own free will"
IF you are in earnest said the law
yer, II take the bet, though not for
five but for fifteen years.
Accepted" exclaimed the banker.
Gentlemen 1 bet two millions against
the fifteen years.
Accepted" said the lawyer. your
millions against my freedom"
And thus this insane bet began.
Now that the fifteen years had almost
passed the banker asked himself: why
did I accept this insane wager What
did l gain by this man losing fifteen
years of his life and L two million
rouples? Nothing has been proved by
i. On my part it was merely " him
and on ais, poor man : "raIinS fer
wealth.
The prisoner had been given two
rooms in a wing Of the bankers house
For fifteen years he must not leave
them, must not see any visitors, hear
anv human voice. receive any letters or
newspapers He was permitted 20 play
and read books, write letters. drink
wine, smoke and eat what he pleased.
Anything he wished he mist write down
and pass the order through q window
in silence He was to remain in his
prison from November Il. 1870, at noon.
until November IA, 1885, noon. The
smallest attempt to break the rules was
to release the banker from his obliga-
lions.
The first year the prisoner was very
well satisfied. He played the piano day
and night. but never touched wine or
tobacco, while he read love stories, nov
els, detective stories and plays.
The second year he stopped playing
and asked for classical books. In the
fifth year he again began to play and
did little but eat and sleep.
During the last half of the sixth year
he studied languages, history and phi
losophy, and during the four next years
he read more than 500 volumes.
During the last two years the prison
er read a great deal. but was not very
careful in his selection of his books.
The banker remembered all these
! things. The next day at twelve o'clock
the prisoner was to be set free and re-
ceive his two millions.
eff 1 pay him, shall be a ruined
man. he thought.
Fifteen years before the money
would have been mere trifle to him,
but speculation had eaten up his for
tune, and now he was feverishly watch
ing the stockticker every day in con-
slant dread of ruin
THAT damned wager" the white
haired man mumbled, pressing his
hands against his face in despair. why
is he not dead? Now he is 40 years Old
He will take my last kopeck, marry and
enjoy life He, the pauper, will specu-