Litchfield enquirer., 1864-10-13
AGooD STORY.

l Some years since an eccentric old genius whom we will call Barnes, was employed by a farmer living in 9 town some six or seven miles westerly from the Penobscot river, to dig a we'll. The soil and substratum being mdstly sand, old Barnes, after having progressed down ward about forty feet, found one morning, upon going out to his work, that the well had essen- tially 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 astir, he concealed himself in rank growth of burdocks by the l side of board fence, near the mouth of the we'll, having first left his frock and hat upon the windlass over the we'll. At length, break. fast being ready, boy was despatched to call him to his meal, when 10! and behold itswas seen that Barnes was buried in .the.s grave un- consciously dug by his own hanes. The alarm was given, and the family assembled; it was decided first to eat breakfast; and then send for the corner, the minister, and his wife and children. Such apathy did not aatter Barnes self esteem bit, but he waited patiently, de ltermined to hear what was to be said, and see what was to be seeu. Presently all parties arrived and began pros. pecting the scene of the cata strophe, 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 ''he is now beyond the temptation to sin, and in the day of judgement it will make no differ ence whether he is buried five feet under the ground or fifty for he is bound to come forth in either case" The corner likewise agreed that "it would be needless expense to his tam ly or the town to disinter him when he was so effectually buried" and therefore entirely coin. cided with the minister. His wife thought that, as "he had left his hat and frock, it was hardly worthwhile to dig him out for the rest of his clothes;" and so it was settled to let him remain. But poor old Barnes, who had nc breakfast, and was not at all pleased with the result of the inquest, lay quiet until the shades ol evening had stole over the landscape, when he quickly departed to parts unknown.
 After remaining incognito for about three years, one morning he suddenly appeared (hat- less and frockless as he went at the door of the farmer for whom he agreed to dig the un- fortunate we'll. To say that an avalanche of questions were rained upon him as to his mys- terious re-appearauce, etc., would convey but a feeble idea of the excitement which his bodily presence created. 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 when he set to work to dig himself out, and only the day before succeeded for, his ideas being somewhat confused by the pressure ol the earth at the time he was buried, he had dug very much at random, and instead of com ing directly to the surface, he came out in the town of Holden, six miles east of the Penob- scot river.
 No further explanations were asked for by those who were so distressed and sorrowfa over this supposed final resting place.