Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-09-12
A CAPITAL STORY.

some years since, an eccentric old genius
"hcn Tor convenience sake call him Rarnes
was employed by afarmer living in town some
SIX or seven miles westerly from the Penoh-
scot river, to dig well The soil and substra-
tum being mostly sand, old Barnes, after hay-
ing progressed downward about forty feet, found
one morning upon going out early to work that
the We'll had essentially cayed i'm and was fpll
nearly to the top. So having that desire. which
men nave, OF knowing what will be said of them
aIter they are dead, and no one yet astir, he
concealed himself in rank growth of burdoeks =
by the side Of fence near the mouth of n we'll
having first left his hat and frock upon the
windlass. AT length breakfast being ready, a
boy was despatched to call him TO his meal.
when 10 and behold it was that Barnes was
buried in the grave uncOnsciousy dug by his
own hands. The alarm being given, and the
Iamliy assembled, 1T was decided first to eat
breakfast and then IA send for the coroner. the
minister and his wife and children. Such ana
my did not Halter Barnes self esteem a bit but
he waited patiently, determined to hear what
was 10 De SAID and to see what was to be seen
PRESENTLY all parties arrived and began pros
pectlnS the scene of the catastrophe, as people
usually do in such cases. A. length thev drew
toSether TO exchange opinions as as to what
shOuld be done. The minister at once gave il as
his opinion that they had better level ND the
well and let Barnes remain; for said he, :. he is
beyond the temptation to sim and in the iay of
Judgment 1T will make no difference whether he
IS buried hye feet under ground or fifty, for he
Is bound to come forth in either case" The
coroner likewise agreed that q" it would be n
needless expense to his family or the town 10
disintcr MN when he was effectually buried -
and therefore entirely cOncded with the minis
ter His wife thought that as he had left his hat
and frock, 1t would be hardly worth while 10 die
him out for the rest of his clothes and so it was
settled to let him remain
Dr. 4 n
ana was not at all pleased with the result of the
inquest, lald quiet until the shades of evening
Stole over the landscape; then he quietly de,
camped to parts unknown. After remaining
fHcOSnttO for about three years one morning
he suddenly appeared-hatless and frockIess as
he went-at the door of the farmer for whom he
had ageed to dig the unfortunate we'll To saw
that an avalanche Of questions wore rained
upon his mysterious reappearance &C., would
convey but feeble idea of tha excitement ere
ated. But the old man bore it 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, and 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 at the time he was buried
he had dug very much at random and instead of
coming directly to the surface he came out in
the town of Holden, sla miles ,cest of PeaoB-
Sc1t rireT,
No further explanations were sought for by
those who were 30 distressed and sorrowful over
his supposed final resting place.-Bangor JEFF:
terSOai0n.