Year: 1866

workmen and foremen but there SEEM
ed something very awful in the idea o.
being buried alive.


Big as the opening was, when / went
to work it made me shudder: there was
the earth thrown out there was the
rope at the side; there was the boarding
round; there it was for all the world
like big grave, same as I'd stood by
on little scale the day before and feel
ing bit low-spirited, it almost seemed
as though I was going down into my
own, never to come up any more.


Very stupid and foolish ideas, saws
you-far-fetched ideas. Very likely,
but that's what I thought and there
are times when men has very strange
ideas; and I'll tell you for fact that
something struck me when went down
that hole as | shouldn't come up it again;
and / didn't, neither. Why the VERY
feel o. the cold damp place made you
think o. being buried, and when few
bits of earth came and ratified down up
on the stage above my head, as soon rs
the first start was over it seemed to me
so like the rattling o. the earth but q
few hours before upon little coffin, that
something fell with pat upon my
bright trowel, which, if it had been left,
would ha' been a spot o. rust.


Nothing like work to put fellow to
rights; and l soon found that I was
feeling better, and the strokes o. my
trowel went ringing away down the
sewer as l cut the bricks in half; and
after bit almost felt inclined to whis-
tie, but l didn't, for kept on thinking
of that solitary face at home-the face
that always frightened up when went
back, and had made such man ov me
as felt was, for it was enough to make
any man vain to be thought so much of.
And then thought how dull she'd be,
and how fond she'd be o. looking at the
drawer where all the little things were
kept; and then well, l amt asham-
ed of it, if am great hulking fellow
i took care that nobody saw what !
was doing, while had look at little
bit of shoe as had in my pocket.
uitii So iioIllt w tlllIltI, IoT IL WIS
too far off; so l had my snack, and
then went to it again directly along
with two more, for we was on the piece.
We had some beer sent down to us, and
at it we went till 1t was time to leave off;
and must say as / was glad of it. and
didn't much envy the fresh gang COM
ing on to work all night, though it
might just as well have been night with
us. l was last down, and had Jest put
my foot on the first round of the ladder
when heard something falling as it hit
and Jared the boards up'ards and then
directly after what seemed to be brick
caught me on the head, and before !
knew where ! was, was off the little
platform, splash down in the cold rush
ing water that took me off and away
yards upon yards before got my head
above it: and then / was so confused
and half-stunned that let it go under
again, and had been carried ever so far
before, half drowned, gained my legs
and leaned, painting and blinded, up
against the Shiny wall.


There stood for at least ten minutes,
| should suppose, shuddering and horri-
fed, with the thick darkness all around,
the Shiny, muddy bricks against my
hands, the cold, rushing water beneath
me, and my mind in that confused state
that for Il few minutes longer l didn't
know what / was going to do next, and
wanted to persuade myself that it was
all dream, and | should wake up di-
rectly.


All at once, though, l gave a jump,
and, insteod o. being cold with the water
dripping from me, turned all hot and
burning, and then again cold and shud-
derry; for l had felt something crawling
on my shoulder, and then close against
my bare neck, when gave the jump,
and heard close by me light splash
in the water-a splash which echoed
through the hollow place, while, half
to frighten the beasts that fancied must
be in swarms around me, half wrung
from me as a cry of fear and agony,
yelled out:


"Rdts ?"


Rats they were; for above the hollow
wash-wash, hurry-hurry, wash-wash,
hurry-hurry" of the water, could hear
little splashes and scutlling by me
along the sides o the brick-work.


You may laugh at peoples hair stand
ing ON end, but know then that there
was creeping, tingling sensation in the
roots o mine, us though sand was trick
ling among it; cloud seemed to come
over my mind, and for II few moments
| believe | was mad--mad with fear
and it was only by setting my teeth
hard and clenching my fists that ! kept
from shrieking. However, | was soon
better, and ready to laugh Mt myself as
I recolected that could only be little
way from the spot where the men work.
ed; so began to wade along with the
water here about up to my middle. All
at once / stopped, and thought about
where | was at work.


"Jphich ,cay did the ,Cdter r2Ol? ?"
My head turned hot and my temples
throbbed with the thought. If l went
the wrong way should be lost--lost in
this horrible darkness-tO sink mt last
into the foul, black stream, to be drown
ed and devoured by the rats, or else to


be choked by the foul gases that must
be lurking down here in these dark re-
ceSScS.