Year: 1865

Some years since, an eccentric old genius,
whom we will call Barnes, was employed
BY farmer living in a town some six or
seven miles westerly from the Penobscot
river, to dig WE'LL The soil ard substance
being mostly sand, old Barnes, after hav-
ing progressed downward about 40 feet,
found, o;e morning, upon going out to his
work, that the well had essentially caved
in, and was full nearly to the top. So,
having that desire which men have of know
ing what will be said of them after they are
dead, and no one being astir he concealed
himself in rank growth of burdocks by
the side of board fence, near the mouth
of the we'll, having first let his frock and
hat on the windass over the we'll. At
length breakfast being ready,ca 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 was given,
and the family assembled it was first de-
cided to eat breakfast, and then sent for
the coroner, minister, and Barnes wife and
children. such apathy did not Aatter
Barnes self bit but he waited patiently
determined to hear what was said, and see
what was to be seen. a.i3a 'o, ~


Presently all parties arrived and began
prospecting the scene of the catastrophe,
as people usually do in such cases. At
length, they drew together to exchange
opinions as to what was to be DONE The


minister gave it as his opinion that they
had better level up the we'll and let Barnes
remain in it; :" for" said he he is now
beyond the temptation to sin, and in the
day OF judgement it will not make any diff
ference whether he is buried five feet under
the ground or fifty, for he is bound to come
forth in either case" The coroner likewise
agreed that " 1t would be needless expense
to his family or the town to disinter him,
when he was so elfectually buried and
therefore entirely coincided with the minis
ter. His wife thought that, Gas he had left
his hat and frock, it was hardly worth while
to dig out the rest of his clothes;'' and so
it was settled to let him remain. But poor
old Barnes, who had no breakfast, was not
at all pleased with the result of the inquest,
and lay quiet until the shades of evening
had stolen over the landscape, when he
quickly departed to parts unkown: .sas-r


After remaining lncOgnlto for about three
years, one morning he suddenly appeared
(hatless and frockless as he went,) at the
door of the farmer for whom he agreed to
dig the unfortunate we'll. TO say that an
avalanche of qustions were rained upon
him as to his mysterious appearance, etc,
would convey but feeble idea of the ex-
citement which his bodily presence created.
But the old man bore it allquietly, and at
length Informed them that on finding him
self buried, he waited for them to dig him
out, until bis, patience was exhausted, when
he set to work to dig himself out, and only
the day before succeeded for his ideas be-
ing somewhat confused by the pressure of
the earth at the time he was buried, he had
dug very much at random, and instead of
coming directly to the surface, he came out
in the town Of Holden, six miles east of
the Penobscot river a7ai no tH9mehaE


No further explanations we're asked for,
by those who were SO distressed and .sor-
srowful over his final resting place. .1,l