Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-01-24
A Capital Story.

Some years since an eccentric old gen.
ius, called Barnes, was employed BY a
farmer living in town some six or seven
miles westerly from the Penobscot river,
Maine, 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
to work that the well had essentially
caved in, and was full nearly to the top.
So, 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 rank growth of
burdocks by the side of board fence 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 dispatched to call him
to his meal, when 10 and behold 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 to first
eat breakfast, and then send for the coro-
ner, the minister, and his wife and chill
dren. Such apathy did not flatter Barnes
selfesteem bit, but he waited patiently,
determined to hear what would be said
and see what was to be seen.
Presently all parties arrived and began
prospecting" the scene of the catastro-
phe, as people usually do in such cases.
AT length they drew together to ex-
change 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,"
!. = 4
of sin, and in the day of judgement it
will make no difference whether he is
buried FIVE feet under ground or fifty, for
he is bound to come forth in either cases.
The coroner likewise agreed that it would
be a needless expense to his 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 decided to let
him remain. But poor old Barnes, who
had no breakfast, and was not at all pleas
ed with the result of the inquest, lay quiz
ct 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 sud
denly appeared (hatless and frockless as
he VENT at the door of the old farmer
for whom he had agreed to dig the un-
fortunate well. To say that an avalanche
of questions were rained upon him as to
his mysterious Temperance, etc., would
convey but feeble idea of the excite
ment which his bodily presence created.
But the old man bOre If all 0uietlv and
at length informed them that, on finding
himself buried, he waited to be dug out
again, until his patience was exhausted,
when he set to work to dig himself out,
and only the day before succeeded, for
his ideas being very much confused he
had dug very 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 sor-
rowful over his supposed final resting
place.