The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1873-10-02
An Old Mans Vow The story CT a
Wagon.


Wagon.
A late letter from Hamburg, Pa, says;
Here 10 Ibis quiet little village Of Ham.
burg stands great heavy wagon, loaded
with lumber, under au old dilopidaied
shed; and Ibis same wagon with its load,
had been Standing there sixy-Ouo years
this summer.
John BiiIey the man who owns tho
wagon, is now about ninety eight years
Of age, aud has lived lhgre very nearly all
bis lite. lie isaqnirtaod uoassnmiDg per-
son, who bears his years vii, aud is
known all over this section rs one Of the
most eccentric men 10 the State.
This morning | was shown the great
four.wheeIel curiosity Standing uOler he
shed, The shed stands very near The
house, aud is situated about The center Of
tho town. Inside the shed stood ,bo wag.
on, loaded with pine boards, just as il had
been loft in 1872. Cobwebs and dust
hung heavy from the board sides aud roof
Of the old shel The wheels had warped
and the iron tires had fallen down; aud as
they dropped so they remain now The
heavy spOkes Of tho wheels stick in tho
ground fully six inches aud it is thought
they will rot in very short time, aud
thus throw the c1tire mass 10 the ground
| turned to the gentleman with me, and
asked him the facts concerning such re-,
markabIo curiosity, He replied; Il am
now nearly seventy years old, and was
about niue years Of age when Bailey made
bis vow. In those days we had no rail.
roads. Most Of our building material was
bought at PhiIadeI phia aud carried to this
place by horse and wagon Bailey was a
young man then, but Woodworking, in.
dependent, scIf.wiIed person. His house
was nearly fnishel, AMI tho last load of
lumber had been brought from the sen
coast.
Bailey was not married, but was looking
with longing eyes to a bright and busting
woman whom he had visited or courlad but
three times, aud had obtained what he
thought was sufficient encouragement that
all was right. But there was a rival 10
The ease Another young mans Affections
driEted to the same spot, md upon several
occasions lover No 2 had been very kind
ly received aud entertained; aud there
grew up jealousy Lover No hid
commenced building a house. Likewise
No, 2 Both proceeded in The work until
a load Of pine boards for finishing purposes
was needed No. | had wagcn, and as
the ouIy place the boards were 10 be bad
was at Philadelphia Bailey proceeded
thither rot what he wanted aud returned
Lover No 2 married the object of bis love
10 The absence of lover No |, aud when
the latter returned no was mortified beyond
measure, He drove his wagon under the
sAed as was customary, embarrassed his
horses, put them away, aud as he loft ,ho
wagon he declared it should stand US loug
as time lasts on into eternity.
My informant invited me in 10 see this
strange character Ele was sitting on no
old hickory arm chair, looking out upon
bis gteat-graudchIdreu at play in The yard 7
He is too old to move about much and be
very rarely gets out An impcdimcat in
his speech renders it almost impossible to
understand him. asked him about The
wagon, and he smiled family and replied
taat a great many had asked similar quos,
tions Of him. He then related the story
substantially as given above It's under.
stood that his descendants arc inclined to
humor, the old mans fancy, aodthata0er
bis decease, the old wagon will be allowed
to remain under the diapidaIed shed as it
has remained during The last Sky years