The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1875-11-16
"How should / know il p

LOU KNOW t0aG ne never ulu uarm W
a sheep 1T wasn't in his nature. 1t
was'a mean, CO wardly act,aEd Gan oath
you shall suffer for itp
Bracket, you don't know to whom
you are talking
"Oho! (another oath.) Well find
out! Well see! Don't put on airs,
John Welton. You amt saint. I'll
have satisfaction,if l have to take it out
of your hidep
"Peter, you'd better go home and
cool off. You are making yourself ri
diculous.' ai
? Now. really, this was the unkindest
cut Of ALL Not the mad words of Brack
EFT put together were so hard as this
simple sentence, and John Welton put
all the bitter sarcasm at his command
into it. .l ~
Bracket burst forth into torrent Of
and then turned away. s
Half an hour later John Welton ack
nowledged to himself that he had not
done exactly right Had he, in the out
set-in answer to Brackett's first out
burst-told the simple truth, that: he had
shot the dog by mistake ), that he was
sorry; that he was willing to do any
thing in his power to make eamends-had
hedone this, Ills neighbor would probaS
bly, have softened at once. But it was
too late now. The blow had been struck !:
be had been grossly insulted, and he
would not back down. ,l9I "a 1Fdl e
Mr.. Bracket was not SO reflective
He only felt his wrath, which he nursed
to keep it warm. That evening he hitch
ed his horse to job wagon and went
down to the village after a barrel of
-four. Having. transacted his store bust
ness, lie called upon Laban Pepper, "a
lawyer, to whom he narrated the facts of
the shooting of his dog, s5ifs
Pepper was man anxious for fees
He had no sympathy or soul above
that. .fag a.
"You say your dog was in company
with two Of your children Ya0 asa
"Yes'i ~ o1 1855, lti .sita taissE
And this passage over Mr.. Welton's
land and through his shed, has been
freely Welded byhim as right of way
to bis neighborsea "a ii eyrs
"Yes. sir; ever since can remember
swell, then, my dear sir, Welton is
clearly liable. If you will come with
me, we will step into Mr.. Garfield 5 and
have q suit commenced at once
Mr. Garfield was the trial justice
lpthis happened on Friday evening
On Saturday it had become noised
abroad in the farming district that there
was not, only serious trouble between
tneighbors Welton and Bracket, but thai
they were going to law about it. 3
On Sunday morning John Welton told
his wife he should not attend church
| She could go if she liked. She had NO
need to ask her husband why he would
mot ga.a She knew silat>he swasz zaahapey;
and could not bear to meet his old
lpeighbor in the house of God while the
dark cloud was upon him Nor did she
wish to meet either Mr. or Mrs. Brack
EFT. So they both stayed at home.
Peter Bracket was even more misera-
BILE than John Welton, though perhaps
he did not know it. He held in close
companionship tee very worst demon a
man can embrace-the demon Of wrath
full vengeance; ard in order to maintain
himself at the strain to which he had set
his feelings he was obliged tonurse the
monster. He did not attend church on
that day, nor did his wife Two or three
times during that calm, beautiful Sab
bath, as he glanced oyer toward his
neighbor's dwelling, he found himself
beginning to wish that he had not gone
to see John Welton in such a heat of
passion; but he put the wish away, and
nursed back his wrath. .
On Monday toward noon the consta
BILE came from the, village and read to
John Welton an imposing legal docu-
ment. 1t was summons issued by VIII
liam Garfield, Esq, a Justice Of the
Peace and Quorum, ordering the said
John Welton to appear before him, at
two of the clock, on Wednesday, at his
Office, then and there to answer to the
complaint of Peter, Bracket. etc, etc -
The officer read the summons, and left
with the defendant a, copy. =.
1t was the first time John Welton had
been called upon to face the law. At first
he. was awestricken, and then he was
wroth He'told himself that he weuld
fight to the bitter end. And now be tried
to nurse his wrath, and became more un.
happy than before. lei 'aa
On Tuesday evening, Parson Smiley
called upon Mr. Welton. The good man
had heard of the trouble, and was ex
ceedingly exercised in spirit Both the
men we're of his flock, and he loved and
respected them both. He sat down alone
with Welton, and asked him what il
meant. N 5is
"Tell me, calmly and candidly ,all abou,
lit, he said. -
| After a little reflection, Mr.. Weltor
told the story. He knew the old cler
lgyman for a true man, and whole-hear
ted friend and he told everything just al
be understood it.
s'And Neighbor Bracket thinks, evel
now, that YOU shot the dog KNOWN!
that it was his ?"
4 suppose So -
.'If you had told him the exact fact
in the beginning, do you think he woult
have held his anger?'
This was a hard question for Johl
Welton, but he answered it manfully.
Truly, parson, / do not think ht
, would 80 -
t Were you ever more unhappy in
your life than you have been since thil
trouble came? ~ - hi- " {.
4 think not t'-h '.. iae
And, if possible, neighbor Bracket
g is more unhappy tina n you { z..5A
Yes. He is the most angry an
!. vengefnl.'' % re 9iah .a2i'igs !hj 10
!. Abrief pause, and the parson + esutr
3 ed: 'i 7s''iisl q 2a'97F91 l''i6 ofao
j HBrother Welton, with you are needle
: but few, words. You are q stronge
J. man than brother Bracket Do you nc
believe be has 2 good heart p s ,;s f
"Yes.'' 7N,'et z2s'' = '4'''
7 II wish you could show him how ,tru
. and good your own heart is." -iii "a :,
"s"Parson - q 3,e' '7o s g