Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1866-07-12
NO. A..


Some years since, an eccentric old genius,
named Barnes, was employed BY a farmer li7-
ing in a town some six or seven miles westerly
from the Penob.cot river, Maine, to dig well.
The soil and substratum being mostly OF sand,
old Barnes, after having progressed downward
about forty feet, found one morning, upon 60
ing to work, that tae we'll had essentially caved
in, aud WAS nearly full to the top. SO, hav-
ing the desire which men have Of knowing what
viii be said of them after they are dead, and
no one being yet as;ir, he concealed himself IN
a rank growth Of burdocks, by the side OF
board fence, near the mouth Of the we'll, having
first left his frock and hat on the windlass over
the well. At length, breakfast being ready, g
boy was dispatched to call him to lis meal,
when, 10, and behold it was seen that Barnes
was buried in The grave uDconsciously dug by
his own hands The alarm being given. and
the family assembled, it was decided to frstcat
breakfast, and then send for the coroner, the
minister, and his wife and children. Such spa-
thy did not fatter Barnes's self-esteem bit,
but he waited patiently, determined to hear
what would be said, aud see what was to be
seen.
Presently, all parties arrived, andbegan pro-
spectng the scene Of the catastrophe, as people
usually do in such cases. At length, they drew
together ,oexchange opinions as to what should
be done. The minister at once gave his opin-
ion that they had better level up the well and
let Barnes remain; for" said he, p" he isnow
beyond the temptation Of sin, and in the day OF
Judgment it will make no difference whether
he is buried five feet under ground or fifty for
he is bound to come forth in either case. Tbs
coroner likewise agreed that it would be need
less expense TO his family or the town TO dsin-
ter him when he was effectually buried, and,
therefore. cointided with the minister.
His wife thought that as he had left his hat
and frock it would hardly be worth while to dig
him out for the rest Of his clothes" and SO II
was decided to let him remain. But poor old
Barnes, who had had no breakfast, and was not
at all pleased with the result Of the inquest, 10y
quiet until the shades of evening stole over tho
landscape, when he departed to rtsunknown.
After remaining incognito for aboutthree years.
one morning he suddenly appeared thstess and
frockless rs he WENT at the door of the old far
mer fol: whom ho had agreed to dig the unfor-
tunate WELL Tosay that an avalanche Of ques-
tons were raincd upon him as to hismysterious
re-appearance, etc., would convey but feeble
idea Of the excitement which his bodily pres
ence created. But the old man boreit quietly.
and at length informed them that, on finding
himself buried, he waited to be dug out again,
until lis patience was exhausted, when he set
to work TO dig himself out, and bad only the
day before succeeded, for, his ideas being very
much confused, he had dug very much at ram
dom, and instead of coming directly to tho sur
face he came out at the town Of Holden, six
miles east of the Penobscot river.
No further explanations were asked for by
those who were so distressed and sorrowful over
his supposed final resting place.