The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-02-13
IN 4 SEWER.

Il arrived in London from Australia
with a sum of money belonging to
mercantile house by which ! WAS en-
plOyed. My own purse WAS light, and
/ selected cheap but reSpectable-lOOk-
ing inn to put up for the night.
In the sitting-room there were sew
cral genJlemanlS-IOOking men. who en-
tered into conversation with me. and !,
foolishly enough. while recOunting my
adventures in Melbourne, and its neigh
bOrhood. mentioned that l had cOnsid-
cradle sum of money with me.
AT the time they made no remark.
but later in the evening they pressed
me to partake of some rum punch with
them, declaring that they never met
with a more intelligent and amusing
companion. and otherwise hattered my
vanity.
Il could not resist long. but, almost
Immediately after [ had tasted the mix
tune, 4 drOWsinesS came over me, and 1t
was with difficulty / could retain my
senses. 1t occurred to me at once that
the liquor had been drugged, and
that it was the intention of my present
companions 10 rob me of the money [
had imprudently confessed to have about
me.
Il determined if possible TO balk them,
Z
the slab and staggered to my bedroom.
I entered and locked the door, and then
{ the stupOr came over me. Iheard people
! ascending the stairs, | heard people
/ passing il the street. but / was unable
/ to move or call for assistance, and | sank
/ back iusenSlble on the bed.
''When awoke where do you think 1
was ?" said the narrator, turning to me,
as l sat with open mouth listening to
1 his story.
Il don't know. I'm sure, sir. On the
. floor - asked l, timidly.
No; l was in the sewer -
In the
''Yes. in the black, nOisome cavern
YOU saw the entrance of just now; but
there l was.
"Iuckily for me, [ had fallen fiat
+ upon the bottom. or | should have been
suffocated. My head was resting upon
the brick work at the side, but, as il
was, the water nearly reached my chest
and my limbs were numbed from re-
naming SO long in it. l had no means
of ascertaining the time, and could not
guess how long had been in my gloomy
dungeon. l strove TO stand erect, but
my legs were too weak to bear me, anC
again | sank exhausted TO the bottom.
"Then came across my mind all The
horrors | had heard of the London sew
ers, of the fatal gases generated il
them. and the fierceness of the rats.
recollected, too. that at high water il
the river, the sewers for some Gistanc'
were flooded, and, as all this passed
through my mind, I only saw choice
of horrible deaths before me, and | call
ed for help. but my cry was but re-ech
oed by the endless brick vaults. [ ha'
heard wild. improbable stories of house
tenanted bv London banditti, in whicl
were trap doors i'll the floor through
which the piilaged bodies OF their vic
/ Tins were thrust to fall into the Sewe
: beneath. and from thence to be swep
! into the Thames.
, ''Was [ one OF these In three O
four DAYS time would a swollen, dlscOl
ored body be washed upon the shore
Would an inquest be held upon il, an
a verdict OF found drowned = rendered
Il felt that this would be the case
? and that the body would be mine.
Then my thoughts wandered, and
! remembered my acquaintance with tn
: coroner of one of the metropolitan dis
tricts. Perhaps it might be in his juri:
dictiOn / should be cast up, and If so,
wondered if he could recognize me-
Then | composed my paragraphs, sue
! as may be seen continually in the dali
I newspapers, Of person unknown, rC
specially dressed, being found fioatin
in the river. In my minds eye / rea
the description of my corpse, watere
5 outside the police station.
? ''You may imagine those fancies {
G mine were not calculated to make n
9 feel particularly jolly, and I lay for SON
time praying for death TO release n
r from my prolonged agony. After
4 r..
9 effort 10 save my life, and again rose
4 my feet and staggered along feeling N
J. way against the wall, for not the sInal
est rayof light penetrated to this gloon
= vault. Motion restored the circulate
!. to nv legs, and after short time l fe
: hope revive within my breast, f
strength and activity were returning.