The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-12-24

the cfnsh Of the brlckwOrk or the rusI Of the
water; that they knew not Of our fate, and We
we're doomed
The planks beneath us sill remained drm
! heard splash. i opened my ewes, and looked
cut upon the wall again. / saw Judspn, who
bad thrown himself into the Hood, swimming
towards the staircase At every stroke he was
imptdtd 10y the hairs. tables, aud lumber 0)0t-
ing about him. If he succeeded In gaining the
ttAirs be could inform those above Of our cnt lmb-
meut. To be rescued, assistance must b. imme-
uin'c In few minutes, II we Ctped drOwn.
IL &, the foul, pcnt mp air Of our dungeon would
have sufCd us.
"Our lives depended upon Juds1n. lie struck
out brsvcly We watched bim with eager hope
~ d si, kouiug fear As he swan by the hoop,
his foot kicked it, and the candles 10 contained
lCll into he purid food.
can was darknessl
"The agony Of the moment was supramel
"ln The absence Of light to guide him, Jldson,
even ii be kept afoat, could not reach the sHir-
case; then there was the weight OF the wet dress
and heavy spangles upon his legs and body /
lisentdl heard groan; he had sunk 20 rise
no more.
81 have been wicked man. cried the voice OF
Canks from out the darkness, but ] repent, and
uuly, / cannot hold on much longer. Goodbye
God bless you all We cannot SEQ but We can
hear each other. Say, God bless you, back again
TO me-
"'God bless you = said the voices, slowly and
fsrfully.
"The solemn words mingled with the rcpeti-
ton Of the chorus Of the comic song singing
above our heads.
'Tbe yspors Of death were rising round US
and what death To die TO the sound of song
and music, pent up in wet charncl.hVu,e. /
tried to shout, but my voice failed. heard
confused sound OF prayer, and joined in il.
"Ihe water gurgled in our ears as we mplorcd
spCCuy death or light
a br liant stream burst in over our heads, and
! heard q noise OF voices
"JudsOn had reached the stage. heard him
say -
"'Hold on Hold on, lads Here's help
Delivemncer
"The centre trap in the stage had been opened
Lanterns were lowered, and l saw them tying
pIanks together to feat to us.
"a voice shouted There's no time 10 lose.
Here's rope jump towards it, and Wen dag
yOu upP
"At the same moment a rope with u moose in
it was lowered but that end of the trap nearest
TO us was at a distance of four feet, and conse
quently there were four feet OF water and floating
ObstTuCtiOnS between us aud the rope.
"a number Of voices shouted Leapp was
nearest and made the first attempt. Recon-.
mending my soul to God, and knowing that my
brother actors would not leave my wife and
children to siarve, closed my eyes, and leapt
Il caught the rope; my left arm and my head
went in the middle of the moose. The shock
plunged me down into the filthy water till my
feet touched the cellar floor-att the same moment
! lost my hold of the rope. l gave myself up,
for feared that they would draw the rope up
from me. There was buzzing in my ears as
thrust forth my arm in desperation l caught
tne rope again, ana lClt IOyeCli nauiCu upwards.
Something struck me on the head. The foul
water filled my mouth, my senses reeled and my
fear, during those awful moments of immersion,
was that should faint and lose my grasp of the
few twisted strands between me and doom.
l tried hard to keep my consciousness
Itwas in vain. All remember was a sensation
OF quick motion and of dazzling light.
"When l returned to sense, found myself
lying upon the stage. All my companions had
| been saved but one poor tpsy Foliambe.
1T was a strange sight TO see us kneel round
the closed trap in our soiled, torn stage bravery,
| and thank Heaven for our deliverance.
| "'WheTc is Arthur asked Mrs. Foljambe.
owe rose and looked at each other. There was
| dead silence.
| "'Ohp shrieked the poor woman who had just
| heard of our danger, and had run down from her
| room half dressed. HE is dead! He is dead I!
"She tore open the trap, and would have
| plunged headfOremost had we not held her b lck.
| Her screams alarmed the audience, some OF
| whom jumped on to the stage, and came behind
"The trap was closed, and the bereaved wife
was in a fit of violent Mysteries, when voice was
| heard to say -
"'Whsts the matter Has anything hap
pened
at was Fl Foljambe, who had thrown his coat and
trousers over his Peruvian dress, and been out to
the nearest public house.
81 pass over a description of how FOljambe was
received by his wite-how she sobbed over him,
| and said And to think that this morning
| wished you dead, my earning, ana now near my
wicked wishes were fulfilled! Fojambe took il
all as tribute to his superior merits, aud forgayC
his wife with heroic selfdenial. Years after
when she demonstrated with him, he used to re
mind her that three pennyworth of gin once saved
his life.
"'Well said OWarreboyle, 'let us be thankful
nobOdy's been drowned, for now we can get or
with the pantOmime!
"Here little Canks broke in with tremendous
wrath and rebuked his manager-for daring t
| wish men that moment rescued from a dreadful
death to tumble and make faces, and swore tina
nothing could induce him 'to clown that night
| O'WarrebOyle scowled; but feeling that he haC
no choice but 20 yield, was going before the cur
tain to make an apology, when the two strang
, men had seen in the morning walked up an(
arrested him.
'Od Proper, in consideration of his noble sen
3 timents as Rolla, became his bail. The deb
was only E40, and Sticknam told the audienc
], what had happened. They left the theatre grum
c bling loudly. They said that they had paid thei
e money to see the pantomime, and il was swindl
, not 10 play il.
j, Owe never acted in the theatre after, but ha
G a benefit at the Town Hall. My wife was yer
b grateful for my escape, and said to me the mex
i day, what pity, Adolphus that your suit Q
l gold leather armor is entirely spoiled, and wi
Il uevpr ne fiji n Nysar again p"