Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-11-25

been nelghbors from their earliest DAYS.
and they had been friends, too Between
the two families there had been bond OF
love and good will, and spirit of frater,
nal kindness and regard had marked their
intercourse. Both the farmers were
hard working men, with strong feelings
and positive characteristics. They be-
longed to the same religious society and
sympathized in politics. They had had
warm discussions, but never yet direct
falling out. OF the two, Welton was the
more intellectual, and, perhaps, little
more tinged with pride than was his
neighbor. But they were both hearty
men, enjoying life for the good it gave
them.
Mr.. Welton entered his kitchen, and
stood the empty gun up behind the
door
What's the matter, john" his wife
asked, as she saw his troubled face.
Pm afraid I've done bad thing" he
replied regretfully. g fear ! have shot
Brackets dog"
Oh, Johnr'
But didn't know whose dog it was.
| saw him coming out from the shed--it
was too dark to see more than that it was
a dog. l only thought of the sheep | had
lost, and fired"
g ! am sorry, John. Oh, how Mrs
Bracket and the children will feel They
set everything by old Carlo. But you can
explain it."
"Yes-I can explain it,"
Halt an hour later Mr.. Welton was go
ing to his barn with lighted lantern in
his hand. He was thinking of the recent
unfortunate occurrence and was sorely
worried and perpleXed. What would his
neighbor say? He hoped there might be
no trouble. He was rejecting thus when
Mr.. Bracket appeared before him, COM
ing up quickly and stopping with an an
cry stamp of the foot.
Now there may be a volume of electric
influence even in the stamp of foot,
and there was such an influence in the
stamp which Bracket gave; and Wei
ton felt it, and braced himself against it,
There was moreover, an atmosphere eX-
haling from the presence of the irate man
at once repellant and aggravating.
"John Welton you have shot my dog!"
The words were Kissed forth holly.
Yes" said Welton, icily.
How dared you do it?"
~ dare shoot any dog that comes
prowling about my buildings, especially
when / have had my sheep killed by
Them
But my dog never troubled your sheep,
and you know it!''
How should / know it9"
"You know that he never did harm to
a sheep. 1t wasn't in his nature 1t was
a mean, cowardly act, and IAN OATH you
shall suffer for it!''
latf In 70 VIII
you are talking"
"OhO!" (Anether oath.) Well find
out! Wen see! Don't put on airs, John
Welton. You amt a saint. I'll have sat
isfaction, if have to take it out of your
hiden'
Peter, you'd better go home and cool
off. You are making your ELF ridicu-
lous.'
Now, really, this was the unkindest
cut of all. Not all the mad words of
Bracket put together were so hard as this
single sentence; and John Welton put all
the bitter sarcasm in his command in
to It.
Bracket burst forth into torrent of in
vective, and then turned away.
Half an hour later John Welton ac
'inowledged to himself that he had not
done exactly right. Had he, in the outset
in answer to Brackets first outburst, told
the simple truth--rhat 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 But it was too late now. The
blow had been struck he had been gross
ly insulted, and he would not back down.
Mr. Bracket was not so reflective. He
only felt his wrath, which he nursed to
keep it warm. That night he hitched his
horse to a job wagon and went down to
the village after barrel of -four. Hav-
ing transacted his store business he called
upon Laban Pepper, a lawyer, to whom
he narrated 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 company
with two ofyour children"
"Yes."
"And this passage over Mr.. Weltons
land, and through his shed, has been
freely yielded by him as a right of way TO
his neighbors 2"
"Yes, sir, ever since / can remember
"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 commenced at once"
Mr. Garfield was the trial Justice.
All this happened on Friday evening.
On Saturday it had become noised abroad
in the farming district that there was not
only serious trouble between Neighbors
| Welton and Bracket, but that they were
| going to law about il,
On Sunday morning John WeltOn told
| his wife he should not attend church. She
could 90 if she liked. She had no need TO
ask her husband why he would not go out
She knew he was unhappy and that he
could not bear to meet his old neighbor in