The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-06-30
A CAPITAL STORY.


Some years since. an eccentric old genius
whom for convenience we will call Barnes
was employed by a farmer living in a 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 progressed 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 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 windlass
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 unconsciously 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
children. Such apathy did not fatter
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 began
''prospecting" the scene of the catastrophe,
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 well and let
Barnes remain ''for,'' said he, she 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 like
wise agreed that lit would be needless ex-
pense to his family or the town to disinter
him when he was so effectually buried"
and therefore entirely conceded with the
minister. His wife thought that as she had
left his hat and frock, it would be hardly
worth while to dig him out for the rest of
him remain.
But poor old Barnes, who had no break
fast and was not at all pleased with the re-
suit of the inquest, laid quiet until the
shades of evening stole over the landscape :;
then he quietly dccamped to parts unknown.
After remaining ancognito for about three
years, one morning he suddenly appeared
(hatless and froekless as he went) at the
door OF the farmer for whom he had agreed
to dig the unfortunate well. To say that an
avalanche of questions were rained upon
him as to his mysterious temperance. &c,
would convey but feeble idea of the ex-
citement which his bodily presence created.
But the old man bore it all quietly, and at
length informed them that on finding him
self buried he waited for them to dig him
out, until his patience exhausted, 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
at the time he was buried, he had dug very
much at random, and in stead of coming
directly to the surface he come out in
the town of Holden, SIR miles east of the
PenobScot riUer!
n" further explanations were sought for
by those who were so distressed and sor-
rowful over his supposed final resting place.
Bangor Jefersonian.