The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1857-07-18
A Capital Story.

Some years 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 river, to dig well. The soil
and Substratum being mostly sand. old Barne.
after having progressed downward about for
" feet found one morning upon going out
early to his work that the well had essential
IL ca,cl H. and was full nearly to the top.
50 ing that desire, which men have. of
Knowing "..at will hc said Of them after they
are dad. ard no one being vet a>.ir. he con-
cra!cd hiTScE in rank growth of burdockS
by th;. side n; il board fence near the mouth
of the well. having first left his hat and frock
upon the windless over the well. At length
breakfast being ready boy was dispatched
to call him to his meal. when 10 it was seen
that Barnes was buried in the grave uncon-
>ciou>lv dug by his own hands. The alarm
beng given, and the family assembled. ii
was decided first to eat breakfast and then
send for the coroner. the minister. and his
vic and children. Such apathy did not flat
ttr Barnes Scli-cS;crm Il bit. but he waited
patiently. determined to hear what WIS to be
said and see what was to be seen.
Presently all parties arri> ed and began
"pro>pcctlng" the scene Of the catastrophe.
as people usually do in such eases. 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 bet
ter leave up the we'll and let Barnes remain
II for. said he, he is now beyond the temp
,a,ion to sin: and in the day of Judgment il
will make no difference whether he is buried
five feet under ground or Fifty. for he is bound
10 come forth in either ca>c" The coroner
likewise agreed that "it would hc needless
expense to his family or the town to disintcr
him when he was 50 ciicctualy buried" and
therefore cntircly conceded with the minister.
His wife thought as he had left his hat and
trock. ii would be hardly worth while to dig
was settled to let him remain.
But poor old Barnes, who had 10 breakfast
and was not at all pleased with the result of
the inquest. laid quiet until the shades of
evening stole over the landscapes then he
quietly decampcd to parts unknown. After
remaining Wcog"ito for about three wears.
one morning he suddenly appeared (hatless
and troc.lcsS as he wcnt) at the door of the
farmer for whom he had agreed to dig the un-
Fortunate well. To say that an avalanche of
questions were raincd upon him as to his mys-
ferrous rc-aprcarancc &c, would convey but
feeble idea of the excitement which his bod
ilv presence created. But the old man bore
1t all quietly. and at length informed them
that on finding himself buried he waited
for them to dig him out, until his patience
was exhausted. when he set to work to dig
himself out. and only the day before had sue
ceeded; for his ideas being confused by the
pressure of the earth at the time he was bur-
red, he had dug very much at random, and
instead of coming directly to the surface he
came out in the town of Holden, sir miles
east Of the PGnobscot rirer
No further explanations were sought for by
those who were SO distressed and sorrowful
over his supposed final resting place-Ban-
gor Jcc9ersonian.