The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-12-16
Two Prisoners
By ANNA WOODBRIDGE
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

rather, In Siberia, where thu govern
ment manufactures certain aTticles-it
is not known what they are-by Sc
cret process. The method Of keeping
this secret Is to receive only w0rkmen
who must remain there all their lives.
Once having entered the Enclosure,
around which is wal so high that no
one has ever escaped over It, the work
man becomes a prisoner and bids fare
well forever to the outside world.
Paula said young Russian one
day, Il am going to enter the factory
ooh, Peterr' 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 obllterate
you from my memory, and, though !
shall be deprived OF my liberty, shall
suffer less than TO be free and prey
to u hapless love-
The girl begged him to take differ
ent view Of the matter, With stream
ing eyes she chung to him, beseeching
him to wait in the hope that some good
fortune would come 10 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
At the end Of the first year Of his
Imprisonment he found that he had not
forgotten his sweetheart. Death alone
enables us to sever such bonds. While
there is life there is 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 OF the de-
cision he had made when he entered
the factory. He had taken on life
long Imprisonment without having
been cured OF his passion.
One day he 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 he understood
She had come for purpose that
would be defeated were their kuowl-
edge Of each other betrayed.
When Peter left the office 1t was as
new man. His beloved had come to
him and had come for him or she
would not have come at all 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 was
tortured with the fear that she. too.
having been on the brink Of staiva-
ton. had come there for a living and
that possibly she might occasionally
see him.
Months passed before these two
found an opportunity to speak to each
other without being noticed. An ac-
cident happened in the factory by
which several workmen were pinion-
ed under a heavy weight. The man
ayers were all busy endeayorlng 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 and
clerks mingled Unfortunately. Paula
and Peter met and withdrew to cor
| ner.
"My father" said Paula hurriedly
| became n soldier In the war with
| Japan. He saved the life Of general
| The general took a diamond from his
shirt front and gave It 10 his prcserver
| NV father, who loves me better than
all the world, gave II 10 me. turned
It into money. and II produced 10000
| rubles. We planned to use II to trans
port Us to America, but ] would not
go without you My father and have
dug n 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 escap,
through y. You will hear from me-"
| She darted away. leaving Peter will
a great JOY, great hope, swelling with
In him
After that whenever Paula found al
| opportunity to pass Peter she slippet
bit Of paper into his hand on which
was written an appointment. IL usual
| ly read Tonight at II" or Tomorrow
night or Sunday night at H. Five
or six of these slips passed between
them before they found night wher
| they could meet and two or three more
before they met and could make th'
attempt. They did not dare escape
separately. expecting that after The
FIRST escape search would be mad,
that would reveal the tunnel.
III Finally they came together when thu
night was dark and stormy. The sen
tries were glad to keep in their boxes
and there was no one lettering outside
. the building Going behind the out
: house. Peter removed the lumber
Paula got down into the tunnel. an,
Peter got down after her, pulling th'
lumber back in It's place.
They were Obliged 10 crawl for som'
> distance. hut as they proceeded and th'
tunnel drew away from the proximlt,
OF the wall II had been dug larger
They passed through safely. Pete
puoha1 ootd, unnaa hnn rda rnvorod Will