The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1857-08-22

Some years since, an eccentric old &C.
MUS, whom for convenience we will call
Barnes, was employed by farmer living
in town semc six or seven miles wes-5
terly from the Pcnobscott river, to dig
we'll. The soil and subsssatum being
mostly sand, old Barnes, after having
progressed downward about forty feet,
found one morning upon going out to
his work; that the well had essentially
caved in, and was full nearly to the top.
SO, having that desire which men hare
of knowing what will be said of them
after they are dead, and no one being
yet astir, he concealed himself in a rank
growth of burdocks by the side of the
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, boy was de-
spatched to call him to his meal, when,
10 and behold it was seen that Barnes
was buried in the grave unconsciously
dug by his own hands. The alarm being
given, aud the family assembled, it va.
decided first to eat breakfast and then to
send for the coroner, the minister, and
his wife and children. Such apathy did
not flatter Barnes self esteem bit, but
he waited patiently, determined to hear
what was to be said, and see what was to
be seen.
Presently all parties arrived, and be-
gan prospecting the scene of the ca
tastrophy, as people 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 we'll and let Barnes remain for, said
he, 8" he is now beyond the temptation
to sin, and in the day of Judgment 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 coroner likewise agreed that it
would be a needless expense to his IA
mily or the town to cisinter him when
he was 80 eifectually buried" and there.
fore entirely conceded with the minis.
ter His wife thought that, as " he had
left his hat and frock, it would b. hardly
worth while to dig him out for the rest
of his clothes J" and so it was settled tc
let him remain. But poor old Barnes
who had had no breakfast, and was no.
at all pleased with the result of the in
quest, lay quiet until the shades of even
ing stole over the landscape, and ther
quietly departed to parts unknown,
After remaining incognito for abou
three wears. one morning he suddenl,
appeared (hatless and frockless as h
went) at the door Of the farmer for whom
he had agreed to dig the unfortunate
well To say that an avalanche of ques
tions were rained upon him as to hi
mysterious appearance, &c, would con
vey but feeble idea of the excitemen
which his bodily presence created. Blu
the old man bore it all quietly, and a
length he informed them that on findln
himself buried he waited for them to di
him out until his patience was exhaust
ed, when he set to work to dig himse
out, and only the day before had sue
c,eded for his ideas being somewha
confused by the pressure Of the earth a
the time he was buried, he had dug yer
much at random, and instead of comm
directly to the surface, he came out /
the town of Holden, sic miles cast # II
Psnobscon rtrer
No further explanations were sougl
for BY those who were so distressed an
: sorrowful over his supposed final rest,n
place. .--- Bangor Je9ersonian.