Dear MR. WILEMAN, I am now able to give the following particulars of the matter I named to you in the Old Baptist Chapel a short time ago.
Two young men visited the village of Netheravon, Wiltshire, in the spring of last year, 1904, to carry out some work at a house. One of them spoke to the householder, Mr. ISAAC CARTER, respecting the dullness of the village, and inquired if there was not some sort of theater. To which Mr. CARTER replied, “Have you not seen the notice put up in the entrance of a theater?” “Yes,” he answered: “it says ‘To THE PIT.’” Mr. CARTER then said, “And do you not think the notice significant of what such like places lead to?” This only amused the young man; and that evening he said laughed with his companions at what “Old Carter” had said.
That week end these two young men went to their home at Bournemouth. After a few days, one of them only returned to complete the work, and said to Mr. CARTER, “You remember speaking to my chum about the notice in theaters ‘TO THE PIT.’” He and I slept together on Saturday night last: and on awaking on Sunday morning, he said, “I shall get up now, and go and have a bath at Five Hatches. He went; and in a pool there, known as The Pit, he sank, and was drowned. His body was dragged for, and recovered.”
The young man was greatly impressed by the occurrence, and said he was sure that he would not forget it as long as he lived.
With Christian love, Yours sincerely, E. G. STRONG.
14, Market Place, Devizes, February 16th.