A HORRIBLE STORY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume III, Issue 498, 11 November 1881, Page 1

A HORRIBLE STORY.

A mysterious business is related from Cernaia, in the depths of Hungary. Borgo Levies, a bricklaj er of that town, was nearing his cottage after the day’s work, when a strange man stopped him in the road and asked him if he would undertake a job, for which he would be well remunerated. “ I and my wife are living in a country house a little out of town, and I want you to come with your tools and wall up a sort of cupboard. But you must come at once, for my wife declares she will not sleep another night in the place if the think be not done before dark. I fancy the cupboard must be connected with some drain or passage, for it swarmsiwith rats and mice; and that is why it must be walled up. If you come at once you shall have 50 gulden.” Needless to say that the poor workman collected together the necessary implements in all haste, and marched off after the stranger, who led him to a tumble-down looking and long untenanted house about a mile out of town. A pretty woman, who appeared very nervous and anxious, met them at the door. They traversed several rooms, and at last reached a kind of kitchen. A dark closet, which evidently reached some way back, opened into this room by a low doorway. “ There’s the place,” quoth the lady, “ it’s full of rats ; wall it up quick, ugh.!” Levies went to work, but stopped short with a start of surprise at a noise he heard issuing from the hole. “ Oh, those detestable rats !” exclaimed the lady, “ only listen to them !” Once more the man took up his trowel, but after two or three artistic flops with the mortar, dropped it again with a jump. Go on, go on !” begged the lady. But Levies now declared he would not lay a brick till he had looked for himself with a lantern what manner of place this was. More demands that he should finish his job; threats, tears, and offers of loofL, 150 ft., up to 500 ft., if he would go on. But this only excited his suspicions the more, and he remained firm. “Well, go and get a lantern, then,” said the gentleman, “ but take a glass of wine first.” You can guess what effect this had. He drank and went to sleep. When he awoke the house was empty. He staggered to the police station (for his head was still swimming with the doctored wine), and related 'What had happened. Search was made, and in the recess they found an infant about six weeks old, naked, and with its mouth gagged. It was still alive, but died that evening. —Globes Vienna Correspondent.