American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-09-13
An Old Mans VOw-The Story of a
Wagon.

A LATE letter from Hamburg, Pa, says
Here in this quiet little village of Hamburg
stands great, heavy farm wagon, loaded
with lumber, under an old, dilapidated
shed; ard this same wagon, with its load,
has been standing there sixty-one years
this summer.
John Bailey, the han who OWNS the
wagon, is now about ninety-eight years of
age, and has lived there very nearly all his
life. He is quiet and unassuming per-
son, who bears his years well, and is
known all over this section as one of the
most eccentric men in the State.
This morning 1 was shown the great
four-wheeled curiosity standing under the
shed. The shed stands very near the
house, and is situated about the center of
the town. Inside the shed stood the wag-
on, loaded with pine boards, just as it had
been left in 1912. Cobwebs and dust hung
heavy from the board sides and roof of
the old shed. The wheels had warped
and the iron tires bad fallen down; and as
they dropped SO they remain now. The
heavy spOkes Ofwheels stick in the ground
fully six inches, and it is thought they
will rot in a very short time, and thus
throw the entire mass to the ground.
l turned to the gentleman with me, and
asked him the facts concerning such q re-
markable curiosity. He replied: II am
nearly seventy years old, and was about
nine years of age when Bailey made his
VOW. In those days we had no railroads
Most of our building material was bought
at Philadelphia, and carried to this place
by horse and wagon. Bailey was a young
man then, but a Woodworking, indepen-
dent, selfwilled person. His house was
nearly finished, and the last load of lum-
Der had been brought from the sea coast.
Bailey was not married, but was look
ing with longing eyes to a bright and
blushing woman whom he had visited or
courted but three times, and had obtained
what he thought was sufficient encourage
ment that all was right. But there was
rival in the case. Another young mans
affections drifted to the same spot, and
upon several occasions lover No. 2 had
been very kindly received and entertain
ed (; and there grew up jealousy. Lover
No. commenced building a house. Like
wise No. 2. Both proceeded in the work
until load of pine boards for finishing
purposes was needed. No. 1 had a wagon,
and, as the only place the boards were to
be had was at Philadelphia, Bailey pro-
ceeded thither, got what he wanted and
returned. Lover No. 2 married the object
of his love in the absence of lover No. 1,
and when the latter returned he was NOR
titled beyond measure. He drove his
wagon under the shed, as was customary,
Embarrassed his horses, put them away,
and as he left the wagon he declared it
should stand as long as time lasts on into
eternity.
My Informant invited me in to see this
strange character. He was sitting on an
old hickory arm chair, looking out upon
his grandchildren at play in the
yard. He is too old to move about much,
and he very rarely gets out. An impedi-
ment in his speech renders it almost i'm
possible to understand him. I asked him
about the wagon, and he smiled family
and replied that a great many had asked
similar questions of him. He then relat-
ed the story substantially as given above
1t is understood that his descendants are
inclined to humor the old mans fancy,
and that, after his decease, the old wagon
will be allowed to remain under the
dilapidated shed as it has remained dur
ing the last sixty years.