Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1857-07-07
a Capital Story.

Some years since, an eXCentric old
genius, whom for convenience we Will
cali Barnes, was employed by d farmer
living III town some SIX or seven miles
westerly from the PenobsCot river to dig
well. The soil and substratum being
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 cav ID
IN and was full nearly to the top. 50
having that desire, which men have. of
knowing what viii be said OF them after
they are dead, and no one being yet astir,
he~concealed himself in & rank growth OF
burdocks by the side Of board fence near
the mouth of the well, having first left his
hat and frock upon the windIass over the
well. At length breakfast being ready a
boy was d!spaJched to call him TO his meal,
when 10. II was seen that Barnes was
buried Ia the grave unconsciously dug by
his own hands. The alarm being gwen,
and the family assembled, il was decided
TO eat breakfast and then send for the
coroner, the minister, and his wife and
children. Such apathy did not flatter
Barns seIf-esteem, but he waited patiert-
ly, determined to hear what was to be-
said and see what was to be seen.
Presently all parties arrived and began
prospecting the scene of the catastro-
pine, as people usually do in such cases.
Al length they drew together to exchange
opinions as to what should be done. The
minister at once gave it as his opiniou
that they had better level up the well and
let Barnes remain; for, said he, he is
now beyond the temptation to sin; and III
day Of Judgment il Will make no diff
ference whether he is buried five feet un-
der the ground or fifty, for he is bound to
come forth in either case. The coroner
likewise agreed that il would G a need
! less expense 10 his family or the town to
dIsinter him when he was so effectualIv
/ buried, and therefore entirely coincided
with the minister. His wife thought that
as he had left his hat and frocll il would
hardly be worth while to dig him out for
( the rest Of his clothes;' 50 it was settled
20 let HIM to remain.
I But poor old Barnes, who had no break
/ fast and was not at all pleased with the
result Of the inquest, laid quiet until the
/ the shades Of evening stole over the land
s-ape; then he quietly decanped to parts
unknown. After remaining Incognito for
about three years, one morning he sud
denly appeared (hatless and trcckless as
he went) at the door Of the farmer Tor
whom he had agreed to dig ihe unfcrtu-
nate well. To say that an avalanche of
questions were rained upon him as to his
mysterious re-appearance, c.,would con
vey but feeble idea Of the excitement
/ his bodily presence created. But the old
man bore it all quietly, at length inform
el them that on finding himself buried he
he waited for them TO dig him out, until
his patience was exhausted, when he set
10 work to dig himself our, and only the
day before had succeeded for his IDEAS
beng confused by the pressure of the
tine he was buried, he had dug very
much at random, and instead OF corning
directly to the surface he came out in the
town Of Holden, SIX miles east of the Pc
nobscot river.
10 further explanations were sough-
. for by those who were so distressed and
/ sorrowful over his supposed final res,;n.,
place Bangor Jefiersonian.