Daily Kennebec journal., 1898-05-02

friend might be standing on this and
cry out as he would, he could not make
himself heard. On each side Of the
narrow canal was wall Of stone sup
porting the roof, and on the floor were
scattered small and great stones to
right and left. These were coated with
slime and moss and seven or nine inch
|es of water was running over them
Far ahead Of him the canal came out in
the region of the Congregational
church lot,--back Of him was the place
where he had entered. And as he rose
to his feet he could not tell which way
was ahead and which way behind
There he stood in the inky darkness
sopping wet, the water and slime run
ming off him, and the eels on which he
had stepped playing and squirming
about his feet. He was not happy And
no wonder.
But he stumbled on. He didn't care
now whether he explored the canal or
not. He wanted to get out. He went
on, feeling his way along the roof of
the tunnel. and now and then hearing
a scurrying away from him which ne
concluded was by rats running along
straighten up for fear of hitting his
head on the substantial hagstones Of
the top. Suddenly he felt thump on
his head and instantly the hendsh
place was lighted up with a million
stars and flashes. But in another in
stant they were gone. He had simply
bumped his head, and seen stars
Blindly he struggled on, and suddenly
heard fresh rushing of the water ana
it began to rise about his feet.
He was puzzled at first, but then he
remen bered that the water was to be
turned on and was coming down be
hind him
1t was only few hundred feet to
the opening, but how slow he had 10
travel.
What if he should be overtaken and
drowned in that dark cavern like a
rat in d trap. They would find his
body rubbing against the fumes down
al the mill below and people would not
understand They would say that he
had committed suicide He cried aloud,
he screamed, but no one heard him
The water had risen 10 his knees ana
was rushing along like a mill race-way.
as this canal really is. He knew now
that the new town hall must have been
passed far behind and that he was
nearing the long line Of houses that
stand over the canal The water did
not seem TO be rising very fast. but
was nearly taking him off his feet. He
crept on. remembering one who years
ago. perished in this same way. In |
some places he had 10 stoop so low that
there was barely room TO pass his face |
between the stone tagging and the /
maddening rush of water.
Suddenly he felt an opening TO his /
right and he remembered that here I
was the cross canal that ran over 10 |
he stream on the other side Of the /
main street. This tunnel was also
covered and at the farther end % it |
was gate that precluded any chance
Of his getting out here. If this gate
should I've opened by any unconscious
person on The ground above, and the
banked waters on the other side let in,
he would he swept away and covered
like wisp Of straw.
The thought Mortified him. His
nerves We're gone and he trembled III
the chilly water like leaf In the wind.
But one more step brought him TO IN
opening in the roof. Above him
loomed up a basement through which
canal ran on its way to the mills be-
low With faint cry Of joy he
climbed out upon the floor and fell in
faint He was safe. He will never
again venture into the Wilton canals.
He is satisfied with his experiences.