Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-07-01
A Capital Story.

Some wears since, an eccentric old genius,
whom for convenience we will call Barnes, was
employed by farmer living in town some SIX
or seven miles westerly from the Penobscot nv
er, to dig well. The soil and substratum be-
ing mostly sand old Barnes after having pro-
gressed downward about forty feet found one
morning upon going out early to his work that
the well had essentially caved in and was full
nearly to the top. So having that desire, which
men have, of knowing what will be said OF them
after they are dead, and no one being yet astir,
he concealed himself in q rank growth of bur
docks by the side of board fence near the
mouth of the well, having first left his hat and
frock upon the windlass over the well. AT
length breakfast being ready a boy was dis
patched to call him to his meal, when 10 it was
seen that Barnes was buried in the grave un-
consciously dug by his own hands. The alarm
being given, and the family assembled, it was
decided first to eat breakfast and then send for
the coroner, the minister, and his wife and chill
dren. Such apathy did not fatter old Barnes
self esteem bit but he waited patiently, de-
ternined to hear what was to be said and see
what was to be seen.
Presently all parties arrived and began ''pro-
spectng" the scene of the catastrophe, as peo-
pie usually do in such cases. AT length they
drew together to exchange opinions as to what
should be done. The minister at once gave it
as his opinion that they had better level up the
well and let Barnes remain: "for," said he, she
is now beyond the temptation to sin and in the
day of judgement it will make no difference
whether he is buried five feet under the ground
or fifty for he is bound to come forth in either
case" The coronerlikewise agreed that "it would
be needless expense to his family or the town
to disinter him when he was so etfectually bu-
ried," and therefore extirely coincided with the
minister. His wife thought that as ''he had
left his hat and frock, it would be hardly worth
while to dig him out for the rest of his clothes; !"
and so it was settled to let him remain.
But poor old Barnes, who had no breakfast
and not at all pleased with theresult'of the in
quest laid quiet until the shades OF evening stole
over the landscape; then he quietly decamped
to parts unknown. After remaining ine0gnito
for about three years, one morning ne suddenly
appeared (hatless and frockless as he went) at
the door of the farmer for whom he had engag-
ed to dig the unfortunate well. To say that an
avalanche of questions were rained npon him as
to his mysterious re-appearance, &c., would con-
vey but feeble idea of the excitement which
his bodily presence created. But the ola man
bore it all quietly, and at length informed them
that Gil finding himself buried he waited for
them to dig him out, until his patience was ex-
hausted, when he set to work to dig himself out,
and only the day before had succeeded for his
ideas being confused by the pressure OF the
earth al the time he was buried, he had dug
very much at random, and instead of coming di-
rectly to the surface he came out in the town OF
Holden, sip miles east Of the Pen0bsc0t rioer!
No further explanations were sought for by
those who were so distressed and sorrowful over
his supposed final resting place.-Bangor JET
tersonian.