Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-01-01
LOCKED IN A TOMB.

In small village of New Hampshire
lived Darby Gibbs, q genial, good ma
tured fellow, somewhere between forty
and City years OF age. with wife and
six children, and very poor His oecu-
pations woro as various rs thcro were
laboring wants IN the village. Re was
very useful individual. and the people
Of tho village would sooner have parted
with their doctor than with Darby ribbs
Aud then Darby WAS bit Of doctor
too, He could compound many vege-
table panaceag; be knew how 70 dress
and heal wounds, and with tho diseases
OF animals BIO was familiar
Aud yet Darby Tibbs had one alarm
ing fault--ho was IA the hobit of get
ting very drunk very often.
Now the people were very anxious
that Darby should reform. lt was get
ting so that thore could be no depend
cnce placed upon him. He disappointed
them when they most needed his nsaiat-
ance. But all their efforts proved un-
availing. He laughed and ioked at
their argumonts aud entreaties. and
just so surely as he received serious
overhauling for his fault would he go
OIL and get helplessly drunk.
One season MIR. Dean, a leading citi-
zen Of the village, had engaged Darby
10 help him through haying. He was
to commence on the Monday next fol
lowing the Fourth OF July. But an un-
fortunate event interrupted tho arrange
ment. Mr.. Dean was taken sick. ard
on the 9th day Of July no died. His
funeral was on the very day which had
been fixed upon for the commencement
Of haying, 80 OF course there was no
work done upon the farm TINT day. In
the morning Darby went forth with the
intention Of attending the funeral, but
before the honr for tho service had ar
rived no had contrived 20 get very drunk,
Some Of his friends succeeded in getting
him into a stable where they left him
apparently fast asleep
Toward the lattar part Of the day,
when the funeral services had been per-
formed and the people had returned to
their homes, two men went out 20 the
stable Tor tho purpose OF arousing Darby,
but no Darby was 10 DO found on tho
premises. They supposed no must have
got up and staggered home, 80 they gavo
themselves no uneasiness Late in the
evening, however, Mrs. Tibbs came down
20 the store 10 inquire for her husband.
She had not seen him since morning. A
general search was made, but he could
not DO found. "Neyer mind, said some;
she'll turn up Ia the morning" And
they finally prevailed upon his wife to go
home.
Morning. came, but Darby Tibbs did
not turn up. BY the middle Of the fore.
noon his wife was down again, and when
she learned that nothing had been seen
Of her husband she became alarmed
They searched along the hedges and in
the bushes, through every barn and shol,
and shed, and through the fields and the
woods, but not a sign OF Darby Tibbs
could they find, and the only thing they
could learn of him after his being left
in the stable upon the straw was from a
boy who happened 20 be late at the 70.
neral He said no saw Darby stagger
across the road from the store, and that
he left him trying TO got over the fence
The boy offered to help him, but Darby
didn't want any help. He said he was
going TO the funeral. and he'd like 30 see
anybody with wit enough 10 stop him.
Night came again, and Darby was
still missing. The pond was dragged by
the light of lanterns, and parties il.
lowed up and down the stream. Wednes.
day morning came, and when the vario1s
parties who had been engaged IN the
search met at the store and compared
notes the idea prevailed that Darby
Tibbs had run away
"He'n come back-nover fear" they
said 70 his sorrowing wife. land when
he does come wen bring him 70 you
And they made her up a little purse
and finally prevailed upon her to 20 10
her home and make the best Of IL.
Early in the evening Sam Broughton
aud Seth Garmon, who had been AZ
work Ia the great meadow beyond tic
brook, came running into the store pale,
frightened and out Of breath Derccn
brown kept the only store ia the village
and II was also the only place Of public
resort. 30 that quite congregation Of
citizens were to bafound there. especially
after tho labors Of tho day were over
"What Is itg' asked the deacon after
a dozen others had asked the same
"1hl" gGsped Sam Bronghton.
"Somn dead mans come to life or else
a ghost has broken loosc"
Finally SethEHrde out 70 tell tho story
AieaeA Ne Nnd Sam had taken thsir