The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1875-12-22

mand into 1t.
Bracket burst forth into a tor
rent of invectives, and then turned
away.
Half an hour later John Welton
acknowledged to himself that he
had not done exactly right.
Had he, in the outset-ln an
swer to Brackets first outburst
told the simple truth-that he
had shot the dog by mistake that
he was sorry; and that he was
willing to do anything in his pow
er to make amends had he done
this his neighbor would probably
have softened at once. BUTT was
too late now. The blow had been
struck; he had been grossly insult
ed and he would not back down.
Mr.. Bracket was not SO much
reflective. He only felt his wrath,
which he nursed to keep it warm.
That evening he hitched his horse
to a job-wagon and went down to
the village after barrel Of -four.
Having transacted his store busi-
ness, be called upon Laban Pep
per, a lawyer, to whom he narra-
ted the facts Of the shooting OF
his dog.
Pepper was a man anxious for
fees. He had no sympathy or
soul above that.
"You say your dog was in CON-
pany with two of your children p
Eyes"
"And this passage over Mr..
Welton's land, and through bis
shed, has been freely. yielded BY
him as a right Of way to his
neighbors ?"
Eyes, sir, ever since l can re-
member"
"Then, my dear sir, Welton is
clearly liable. If you will come
with me, we will step into Mr..
Garfeld's and have a suit COM
menced at once"
Mr.. Garfield was the trial jus.
tice.
All this happened on Friday
evening. On Saturday it had be-
come noised abroad in the farm
ing district that there was not
only serious trouble bstween
neighbors Welton and Brackett
but that they were going to law
about it.
On Sunday morning John We'll
ton told his wife be would not at
tend church. She could 60 if she
liked. She had no need to ask
her husband why he would not 60
out. She knew he was unhappy,
and that he could not bear to meet
his old neighbor in the house of
God while the dark cloud was up
on him. Nor did she wish to meet
either MIR. or Mrs. Bracket. So
they both stayed at home.
Peter Bracket was even more
miserable than John Welton,
though perhaps ne did not know it.
He held ia close companionsbip
the very worst demon man can
embrace-the demon of wrathful
vengeance and in order to main
tain himself at the strain to which
be had set his feelings, .4e was
obliged to nurse the monster:
He did not attend church that day,
nor did his wife. Two or three
times during the calm, beautiful
Sabbath,as be glanced over toward
his neighbor's dwelling, he found
himself wishing that be had not
gone to see John Welton in such
a heat Of anger; but he put the
wish away, and nursed back his
wrath.
On Monday, toward noon, the
constable came up from the vii
lage, and read to John Welton an
imposing legal document. 1t was
summons issued by VIM. Gar.
field, Esq, a justice Of the peace
and quorum, ordering the said
John Welton to appear before him,
at two o'clock, on Wednesday, at
his-ofice, then and there to answer
to the complaint Of Peter Brack-
ett. etc. The officer read the sum-
mons and, left with the defendant
a copy.
It was the first time ohm We'll
ton had ever been called npon
to face the law. At first he was
awe-stricken, and then be was
wroth. He told himself that be
would fight it to the bitter end.
And now be tried to nurse his
wrath, and became more unhap-