Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1868-07-24
VOL. XVI. NO. l13.

cnpine-house. and hence the anxiety to
have the broken wire mendcd at once.
When 1 got to the terminus, the station
master was extremely glad to sec me, and
handing me lamp, started me on my soil
tary way. l thought at the time that he
might have sent some one to accompany
me; but as he did not volunteer any such |
escort, proceeded alone.
The further went, the less liked It.
For the first hundred yards or so, while
the daylight lasted, it was endurable; but
as the tunnel curved away into the EARN,
and the little ring of light at the entrance
was no longer discernible, dreadful feel
ing of loneliness and sort ofburied-alive
sensation crept over me. wished that l
had never undertaken the task, but since |
had done so, determined to accomplish
il. The lamp which l carried gave me
barely sufficient light to see my way, for
the dull-colored earth and the sooty roof
and walls of the tunnel drank in its feeble
rays. Still l plodded on, following the
shining rails and the rusty wire ropes, and
every now and then stopping to test the
tunnel-wire, only to find the communica.
tion perfect. At last, after long and
weary tramp, a pale glimmer of sunlight
appeared in the distance, and hurried on
towards it, fancying that l had reached
the other end, and that there was no break
in the tunnel-wire after all. soon
reached the speck of daylight, and found
myself, not in the outer world, but at the
bottom of a ventilating shaft. That shaft
was neither more nor less than huge
chimney to permit the escape of the smoke
and steam which gathered in the tunnel |;
but it had a visible connection with the
world above-ground, and l was glad to see
the bright autumn sky at the top once
more. For minute or two stood gazing
at the begrimed walls, down which the
setting sunbeams struggled, and then once
more plunged into the darkness.
Now the way became more hideous and
difficult than before. The soil above
seemed to be damp, and water oozed drip
pingly through the brick roof, and ran in
great sooty streaks into putrid side-drains.
These drains sent forth a nauseous smell,
and swarmed with bloated water-rats,
which scampered into their holes as ap-
preached the walls, and peered out at me
as applied my testing apparatus to the
telegraph wires. The loathsome brutes,
used to the laundering rush of locomo-
tiyes, treated me with contemptuous curl
osity. A damp and chilly wind blew
through the tunnel, and to add to my
troubles, the permanent way was under
repair. The shingle had been thrown out
from between the sleepers, and lay in loose
heaps in the six-foot space, rendering walk
ing difficult and slow. Still plodded on,
and at length found what Ihad so long and
diligently sought.
A sickening wretched loneliness crept
over me, sometimes leaving me for lit
tie while, and then returning with re-
doubled power. / tried to drive it away
and be hopeful; but as l mechanically
pulled at my pipe, q series OF ghostly
figures possessed my imagination in spite
Of myself saw my two night-clerks
swiftly writing as the instruments clicked
off the messages. l beheld Jacob Noosf
in the dingy public house quatfing foaming
draughts from his pewter, and rapidly ad
Yancing towards senseless drunkenness;
pictured my father reading and resting by
his great country fireside after the labour
of the day, and l followed my punch.
landlady as she moved about grumbling a
my delay. But 1 was only interested II
them in Us far as they were connected witt
myself Danger had made my thought
, selfish, and as / fancied them at their OF
binary occupations, my constantly recuI
/ ring thought was "How surprised an
anxious they would be if they knew tina
/ l am sitting in the dark on the dam
, earth in the middle of the Northshir
Railway Company's tunnelp Then m
, brain conjured up another set Of phar
toms. 6eheld the station platform, o
| which the officials paced up and dow
: wondering at my stay. l saw the sout
l mail standing in the station-the steal
: Kissing from the engine, the men waitin
4 for the signal to start, and the passenger
thrusting their heads out of the window
! and grumbling at their detention.
f watched the gathering of the search-part
i contemplated it as it set out, and
s almost ifancied that heard the shouts
) men as they Travelled the road / had alread
@ come-when q sound broke upon n
@ which filled me with an awful fear.
l. Slowly at first, and then more quickl
C the wire ropes began to run over Il
e grooved guiding g-wheels, and as | heal
1t them clang in narrow sockets, l kne
le that | had been forgotten, and that Il
d, traffic was resumed Instinctively 1 turn
/ J to flee-but wherel This horrible tunn
70 which seemed likely to be my grave, h
A. none of the little retreats so common
C. those in modern days, or if il had | b
&C not noticed them, and could never fi
at them by cropping in darkness. Were l
at move in search Of a refuge would mt
Id likely be caught and killed by the rus
/ rope which was rushing over the whe
4
G chance of safety consisted in remain
,k where was until the train passed, a
1d then making my way forward when
tunnel should again be empty. So
al down to wait. f'i' n -
ch Brought to q sore extremity by the
nd bauchery Of drunken fool-alone in
he darkness with Death, while the you
ng blood was coursing through the veins q
at life was sweet-would you not have cur
of the cause of your misfortune-and pray
to be saved from such an awful fate !?
10, madly did both, needless of the contraC
las ton between them. But the danger '
nd drawing near, and l braced myself up
meet it. heard railway men say that
er, safer plan was to turn the hce and not
ds back to passing train; so l now cage
de- peered into the darkness to discern
do. first approach of the coming peril.
in the gloom through which had CON
au- thought saw speck of light, fanC
Iou myself mistaken, when on turning
head the other way / beheld bright
TER increasing light in the distance o
ant more / looked stationwards, and founC
,ad NV horror that had not deceived myl
but for the light in that direction had gre
avs full and clear.
rtv. ,rA A train was coming either way, and
To1 hope left me- sprang TO my feet, b
" had no expectation that should be sal
the and for q moment thought OF throw
ler- myself before the wheels and ending
re- Already seemed to feel myself caugh
way the buffers or dashed TO deathby some
go jecting Amp-ircn, and with calmnes'
and despair awaited my fate. How sloWl
" came, though it travelled Ike lightni
And what a tide of remembrances of h
ira and loved ones, and the sweetness Of
me rushed through my brain, as ! stood
ing that heap of earthl But il was not
ing, long. The lights seemed suddenly
dis spring forward. saw the dark out
INK, of the engines lighted up by the clio,
dis, fire-hoxes, and the glare from their
! as naces. InstinctiVely pressd my feet Fl
GUS, into the shingle, closed my eyes, drew
as breath as if to make myself smaller,
by uttered cry of power for strength
sc TO aid. There was a thunder in my ca
A..