The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-06-10
THE MORNING NEWS: SUNDAY, JUNE 10. 1894


could guess, it was about d, the middle
line of the bass clef
/ threw a small ball of mud at the wall
and the report was as though brick had
fallen. The tunnel carried every sound,
like a speaking tube
My lamp was burning low, and finally,
with sputter, it went out, leaving me in
darkness.
Then, to my surprise. a manholo, not
faraway opened, and down on Il dangling
rope came-a man.
"Hello!" l cried.
The stranger looked around, half fright
ened. a
What arel You dong here?' l gasped,
again, running toward him as fast as the
slime would allow me.
Who are your he said, in burly
voice.
/ explained the situation to him.
IF you want the gang. it is just around
the elbow, about 200 feet below, )" was the
response
The man then busted himself in the
mud.
What are you doing therel' I said.
coming closer, and borrowing a light for
my cigar
"Huntin', y was the laconic response.
But you have no light"
Il don't need any"
"Why notln
Il can feel.n
"Oh hO!"
Suiting the action to the word, he
oended-down in the soft ooze and began
feeling aim1essly around in the dark. By
and by he pulled up some silver spoons.
Without looking at them, he thrust them
INTO big pocket, and continued his
work
How did YOU know they were there3''
l said
Fool questions! How do / know any
thing See here, young fellow, you bet
ter be takin' yourself out O. here"
But tell me about the spoons" ]
pleaded
well, " he said, 81 am an old sewerer.
and know that right here is the house
connection of big hotel ! reasoned that
the cook, or some of the careless assist
ants, would send these things down the
waste pipe; you see am not wrong"
But is this not against the awln
Law nonsense! Amt Teller got ter
make liviu'?"
Il oes the foreman of the gang know
that you are down here"
He does not; but what is that to you,
sonny"
The remainder of his answer did NOT
hear clearly; he. had well-nigh buried his
head in the mud, searching for treasures,
In the great sewers of New York
Then there came to me, distinct and
clear, the sound of a mans cough.
knew tha5 cough 1t is often heard uu.
der ground 1t is the forerunner of
death. 1t is the malady that comes tc
nearly all tho poor devils, who perseverC
lii the pursuit Of their Strange trade
came nearer. a man was WORKING
shoyeling slime and oo,e into a pail. He
was up to his thighs in the water. AS he
Strengthened himsclfsup as much as tho
I narrow tube permitted, he groanod dis
mally. II was easy to know, now, thai
! rheumatic pains rocked his frame Sud
denly he gave low moan and fell side
wise in the dirty water. The smell of gas
came tome quick and fast.
Help! A man is dying!"
| There re echoed sounds from far
weird sepulchPal. Lights twinkled in
| the gloom. The red stars approached
| Every movement of the men was magni
| fed, every sound intensified, in that
strange underground speaking tube. until
| it rushed with almost painful distinct
| ness to the ear. Three of the sewerers
drew near. One of them caught the man
| by the shoulders and proceeded to draq
him toward spot where, in the darkness
there sifted down, from on high, rim oil
| light, showing where the pure air and
] thS SuhAiSht lulEuJ NC IOuUu. would the
man live to reach that precious SPOT
That was the question.
| A rope was lowered and slung, sailor
| fashion, around his trunk under his arm
pits. Slowly but surely he was pulled ur
| the lettering ladder.
Now we must work like HI to catch
upr
This was the only comment of the men
in the sewer. They were not thinking OF
the dying man. They were recalling the
| task-master who was over them with
whip and spurs. Again, they buried
themselves in the mud and slime. Like
queer, unearthly animals with strange
startling noises they pursued their task
They were more like creatures than
men, or, at best, they were less men
than creatures. The red stars grow
DINNER and more dim.
heard one of the sewers singing a
snatch of weird song. 4 sense OF aw-
ful oppression now came over me- For
the trst time | loathed this horrible place
with all its disgusting surroundings.
Yet there was dismal splondor about
the cavern and in the ripping of that
black, sullen stream.
For it came upon me now like an in
spiratiop, and tho thought, at chat
moment, fascinated, even while it horri
fed.
These men were transforming mud and
slime-into bread.
JOHN HUBERT GREUsBL.