The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1866-07-11
How Old Barnes Dug Out.

Some years since, an ecccntri old zen.
ius called Barnes was EMPLOYED by a
farmer living in town some six or seven
miles westerly from the Penobscut rivef,
Me-, to dig a well. The soil and sub
stratum being mostly Of sand, old Barnes,
after having progressed downward about
forty feet, found one morning, upon going
out TO work, that the well had essentially
caved in, and was full nearly to the top.
80, having the 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 a rank growth Of
burdocks by the side Of a board fenoc
near the mouth of the well, having first
left his frock and hat upon the windlass
over the well. AT length breakfast being
ready, boy was despatched to call him
TO his meal, when 10 and behold il
was seen that Barnes was buried in a
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 cor
oner, the minister, and his wife and chill
dren. Such apathy did not fatter Barnes
selt-esteem bit, but he waited patiently,
determined to hear what would be said,
and see what was to be seen.
Presently all arrived and began "pros.
pecting" 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 one gave it as his opinion that they
had better level up the well and let
Barnes remain; 'for," he said, she is
now beyond the temptation to sin, and in
the day of judgement 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 cor
oner likewise agreed that it. would be
needless expense TO the family or the
town to disinter him when he was effect.
ually buried, and therefore conceded with
the minister. His wife thought that as
che had left his hat and frock, it would
hardly be worth while to dig him out for
the rest of his clothes" and SO it was set
tied to let him remain. But poor Barnes,
who had no breakfast, and was not at ali
pleased with the result of the inquest,
lay quiet until the shades of evening stole
over the landscape, when he departed to
parts unknown.
After remaining incognito for about
three years, one morning he suddenly ap-
peared (hatless and frockless as he went)
at the door of the farmer for whom he
had agreed to dig the unfortunate well.
10 say that an avalanche of questions
were rained upon him as TO his mysteri-
ous re-appearano,, etc, wonld convey but
feeble idea of the excitement which his
bodily presence created. But the old
man bore it all quietly, and at length in
formed them that, on finding hmseiburied,
he waited for them to dig him out again,
until his patience was exhausted, when
he set to work to dig himself out, and
only the day before succeeded, Tor his idea.
being somewhat confused by the pressure
OF earth at the time he was buried,
he had dug worry much at random, and in
stead of coming directly to the surface,
he came out in the town Of Holden, six
miles east of the Penobscot River. No
further explanations were asked for by
those who were so distressed and sorrow
tul over his supposed final resting place