The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1910-08-25
Two Prisoners
By ANNA WOODBRIDGE
Copyright. 1910. BY American Press
6s Association

II III I'M t55 g-8GfS Association # esh ii
There IL factory In Russia. Or
rather. in Siberia. where the govern.
ment manufactures certain articles III,
Is not known what they are-by a Sc
cret process. The method Of keepin:
this secret is to receive only work,uel
who must remain there all their lives
Once having entered the Enclosure.
around which is wall 80 high thot liz
one has ever escaped over it, the work
man becomes prisoner and bids fare
well forever to the outside world.
Paula" said young Russian on,
day, Il am going to enter the factory :
"Oh, Peterv' gasped the girl to whom
he spoke.
Eyes; we can never marry-we are
too poor. There is suffering enough
for us as peasants without bringing
children into the world to suffer !
can get no work elsewhere, and | am
starving. There time may obliterate
you from my memory, and. though !
shall be deprived of my liberty, shall
suffer less than to be free and a prey
to a hapless love-" o,=.A,s -s.t0
The girl begged him to take differ
ent view Of the. matter. With stream
ing eyes she chung to him, beseechins
him to wait in the hope that some good
fortune would come to them. But he
refused to be encouraged. Tearing
himself away from her, he went to the
factory, its gates closed upon him, and
he knew that they would never open
to him. ..... ....e...-..S A. .. .. ....
At the end of the first year of. his
imprisonment be found that he had not
forgotten his sweetheart. Death alone
enables us to sever such bonds. While
there is life there u hope, and 1t is this
hope that keeps warm the embers IN
the heart. Two, three years passed.
and still he could not forget his Paula
Then he wept bitter tears 1T the de-
eisaon he had made when be entered
the factory. He had taken on2a life
long Imprisonment without having
been cured Of his passion. =rt..
One day be entered the Office Of the
factory, and what was his surprise to
see Paula sitting at desk writing.
He was about to rush toward her when
she looked up Their eyes met. and
she cast hers again down upon her
work. In moment be understood.
She had come for a purpose that
would be defeated were their knowl-
edge Of each other betrayed. @H7 r"
When Peter left the Office It was as
q new man. His beloved had come to
him and had come for him or she
would not have come at ell True.
they were now both prisoners for life.
Had she not some plan In view for
their mutual good she would not have
given up her liberty. Then he Wal:
tortured with the fear that she, tco
having been on the brink Of starv;'.
ton, had come there for a living and
that possibly she might occasionally
See him. +35 '. SHf lf5fi@
Months passed before these two
found an opportunity to speak to ga Il
other without being noticed. An az
cident happened in the factory b.;
which several workmen were pinion
ed under heavy weight The man,
ayers were all busy endeavoring to re
lease those who had not been killed
outright and whose cries for relief
were pitiable. The Office force rushed
into the factory, and workmen a!iil
clerks mingled Unfortunately. Paul'
and Peter met and withdrew to cor
| ner. ,..u..... -4... .--...m
my father" said Paula hurriedly,
became soldier in the war VITA
Japan. He saved the life Of general
The general took diamond from his
shirt front and gave It to his preserver.
Ny father. who loves me better than
all the world, gave 1t to me. turned
It into money, and it produced 10000
rubles. We planned to use 1t to trans
port us to America, but would not
60 without you. My father and I have
dug tunnel under the wall The en-.
trance is between the wall and wood
en- Clubhouse, the house in the south
east angle. The opening Is covered
with lumber. We must plan an escape
through it. You will hear from me-"
! 0AG NdA LEU away ACuSAA6 1 VS0A WALL
a great joy, great hope. swelling with
in him.
After that whenever Paula found an
opportunity to pass Peter she slipped
q bit Of paper into his hand on which
was written an appointment. 1t usual
| ~ read "Tonight at 12'' or Tomorrow
night or Sunday night at H." Five
or six of these slips passed between
them before they found night when
they could meet and two or three more
before they met and could make the
attempt. They did not dare escape
separately, expecting that after the
FIRST escape search would be made
that would reveal the tunnel.
Finally they came together when the
night was dark and stormy. The sen.
tries were glad TO keep IN their boxes.
and there was notone lettering outside
he building. Going behind the out
house, Peter removed the lumber,
Paula got down into the tunnel, and
Peter got down after her, pulling the
/ no ol> tn - o1ana