SWEPT DOWN A SEWER.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2492, 16 March 1881, Page 2

SWEPT DOWN A SEWER.

SECOND EDITION

All Parishas been deeply stirred during the present snowstorms by the shocking fate of a little girl aged nine, Georgette Babin, the only child of a prosperous greengrocer of the Rue Belzunci. She attended a day-school, to which her father every morning took her, and fetched her back at noon. Two days ago they were walking home, hand in hand, rejoicing in the bright sunshine which had come out after the snowfall. The streets they traversed were busy with traffic, and squadrons of sweepers were busy pushing heaps of snow towards the sewer-traps purposely opened to receive them. At the corner of the Rue Hauteville, the child let go her father's hand to tighten her muffler. Just then a wagon drawn by a restive horse rumbled by. Babin instinctively moved backwards, thinking his daughter was by bis side, but when he turned round to look for hershe had disappeared. It was evident that in backing out of the horses’ way .she had fallen into the yawning sewer, which was of great depth. Cries for help were heard for a moment, and then ceased. The child had clung doubtless to the edge of the subterranean platform, and had then been swept away bytbe force of the current, which was swift and swollen. The sweepers who flocked around could scarcely restrain Babin from jumping in after his child, who must have been instantly drowned.