The free citizen. (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-11-20
TIE TWO NEIGIIBORS.

TIE TWO NEIGHB0RS.
One evening as the twilight was dusk
ing into deeper shades, Farmer Wclton
stood in his dooryard, with gun in his
hands, and saw dog coming out from
his she'd 1t was not his dog, for his WAS
Of 4 light color, while this WAS surely
black.
The shed alluded to was open in front,
with double doors for the passage OF
carts, and q wicket fer pedestrians ut the
back; and this she'd was part of Il CON
tinuOus structure connecting the barn
with the house Around back Of this
house vas the shccp-fold.
There had been trouble upon farmer
Nclton's place. Dogs had been killing
his shccp-anI Somc Of the very best ut
that. lie had declared, in his wrath
that he would shoot the first stray dog
he found prowln% around his premises
On this evening, by chance, he had been
carrying his gun from the house to the
barn, when the canine intrudcrapprarcd
Aye, and i'll the harm he had been taking
the skin from Il valuable sheep which had
been killed and manglcd with tiwcrish
tcrocity.
So, when he saw the strange dog COM
ing through his she'd, he brought the gun
to his shoulder, and, with quick sure
aim, fired. The deg gave Il leap and Il
howl, and having whisl:cd around in n
circle, two or three times, he bounded off
in tangent, yclpng painfully, and was
soon lost to sight.
" Halo what's to pay now, Wclton?"
Ah-is that you, Frost?'
i" Yes. Been shootin' somc;hin,' aint
" I've shota dog, ! think"
F" Yc c-s. seed him scootin Of 1t
was Brackets, reckon"
Before the farmer could make any fur
thcr remark, his wife called to him from
the porch, and he went in.
Very shortly aftcrward hoy and a girl
came out through the shed. ns the dog
had came. Down back of Wcltons farm,
distant halfa mile. or so, was a saw and
griSt mill, with quite Il little settlement
around it; and people having occasion
to 20 on foot from that section to the
farms on the hill could cut off a long dis
tancc by crossing Wclton's lot. The
boy and girl were children Of Mr..
Brackctt. When they reached home
they were met by a scene Of dire confu-
sion Old Carlo, the grand old New
foundland doc the Loving and the loved
the true and the flithiul-had come
home shot through the head, and was
dying, The children threw themselves
upon their shaggy mate, and wept and
moancd in agony.
Mr.. Brackctt arrived just as the dog
brcathcd his last. One Of the older bows
stood by with a lighted lantcrn-for it
had grown quite dark now-and the
farmer saw what had happened.
Who did this ~ he asked, eroan-
ingly.
John Weldon did IT," said Tom
Frost, coming upat that moment. Giles
nccn losin sheep, ali Il CUES, he's got
KIND o wrahy."
i'ut my dog never killed Il sheep
never! Hes been reared to care for
sheep. How came he down there"
Z" He went over to the mill with Sis
and me" said the younger boy, sobbine
as he spoke; "and he was running on
ahead of tls toward home. heard gun
Just before VIC got to Mr.. Wclton's, but
oh didn't think he could have shot
poor Carlo"
MIR. Brackctt was fairly beside him
self. To say he was angry would not
express it. Ic loved that doe-it had
been the chief pct Of his household for
years. lie was not a man in the habit
of using protanc language, but on the
present occasion fierce oath escaped
him; and in that frame of mind-litcr
ally boiling with hot wrath and indicna-
he started for Wclton's.
John, Wciton and Pete Brackctt had
been mcighbors from their earliest days,
and they had been friends, too Between
sthc two families there had been bond
OF love and good will, and Il spirit of
fraternal kindness and regard l;,,!
marked their intercourse. Both the
farmers we're Woodworking men, with
strong feelings and positive characteristic
les. They belonged to the same religious
society, and sympathizcd in politics.
They had had warm discussions, but
never yet direct falling out Of tho
two, Nvclton was the more intellectual,
and, perhaps, 4 little more tlgcd with
pride than was his ncighbor. But the
were both hearty men, enjoying life for
the good it gave them.
Mr.. Wclton entered his Kitchen, and
stood the empty gun np behind the door,
whats the matter, John?' his wife
asked, as she saw his troubled face.