Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-04-24
HOW DROWNING FEELS.
Described by Man who Tried 1

From the Milwaukee Wisconsin. April Al
A few days ago a workman employed
at one OF the tanneries on the west side
Of the river, living on the east side
named Grace, attempted to cross to hi.
work upon the ice. When part way over
the river, the ice broke beneath. Grace,
and he fell through. He sank immedi-
ately to the bottom, but was taken up by
one of those hooks employed for the pur.
pose, and, by strong efforts, the spark OF
life, which had apparently departed, was
brought back, and Grace still lives,
although having been as near death s
door as a man could very we'll go and re.
turn to this sublunary sphere.
Yesterday a reporter of the Wisconsin
met Grace and had a conversation with
him relative to his narrow escape.
During the conversation the man gave a
sketch of the sensation he experienced
while under the water, which we will en-
deavor to give as the words fell from his
lips. Said Grace: thought that morn
ing, as it had been stiffening over night
that the ice would be stiff enough to bear
me, aud so | was little late that morn.
ing, and as il was long way aronnd by
the bridge, would save time by going
round by the bridge. went on thinking
about what / should say to the foreman
to save being docked quarter of a day,
and wasn't thinking but what all was safe
enough, when j trod on weak spot and
went right down through. 1t was so sud.
den like, and the water was so cold, and
/ suppose was so frightened, that all my
senses went away in fash | hit my
head on the edge of the ice, and it made
me stupid and that's what made it seem
so like dream, perhaps. 1t seemed
like | kept sinking, sinking all the time
not going down like man naturally
would in the water, but going down fast
so fast that it took all my breath away,
Although know kept my eyes shut all
the time, it seemed like | could see all
about me, and like | was in the midst,
irst of great field of blacknsss which
came up all around me, and was very
thick. AS / went down this kept
growing lighter and brighter, and, from
being sort of gloomy at first, soon began
to grow pleasanter, and my head,
which seemed at first all stuffed
up and stupid, began to be clearer and
clearer | have heard great deal about
and all sudden-like, it seemed |
| had come to that place. / didn't feel
like l was anybody else, but all my
senses came to me, and the first knew |
was wondering where l was and how | |
came there. felt as if was just so
full of happiness as / could be. Every
thing / had done in my life seemed like
it was written on little page, and Ihad
it right before me, and could tell it all,
ewes down to the little things Before
me ] could see great green and purple
and red clouds floating along, and would
hear angels and fairies singing, and |
knew they were happy, and when l tried
to help them, | felt as happy as they
we're. --r ---v,- -rr
l tried to think it was dream, but
couldn't and didn't feel as if it was at
al like death, and while everything
Ieemed so clear to me, even to what the
brennan would say when he found l did
lot come, and wondered If ever | should
10 back again and If ] did, what
ime | would have telling the boys where
had been and what | had seen. Every
rood action had done came up and
ooked me in the face, and although
ome of the bad actions, all of which
.ould see standing at my back, tried to
ome up, they could not. / cannot tell
'ou hsw happy felt, and how long l
elt so. 1t was drowning / know, and if
man only knew about it and there
Tasn't any danger of being brought back
gain, it would be the happiest way to
lie that ever was invented. But the !
oming back, oh ! that was awful
While was feeling SO good as tried {
D tell you about, and it didn't seem as {
il was little while, but like 1t was I
ears aud years, while / was thinking, G
seemed like one of the bad actions '
rowjed away one of the good ones, and
anne up and looked ne in the face, and I
istsntly all Of the good actions, aud all .
le angels and fairies, became devils of Z
le worst kind, and all the colored clouds i
scame black, and the devils closed 4
,und me, and they yelled in my ears, I
nd pushed me this way and that, and a
len all the clouds became preeipices il
I'd caves and holes, and il seemed as if i
Ie evil ones we're trying 70 push ne into ?
| Of these at once, yelliHg aud bowling p
! the time, and when l resisted, tearing s
hole handsful of flesh of my bones aud 0
,ir out Of my head. And they seemed s
90 iute my mouth, and nose, and my D
rs, tear away inside Of me until / was il
full of misery that / prayed they b
ight kill me at once and when ! tried n
tell them 30, il vas ike a. IL ny head j
1uld burst assnder. As lean tell you v
" happy vas before, so can't tell 9
~ how ] suffered nov. bad heard I
great deal about bell, aud thought p
vas there for certain. Sometimes the ! a