The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1875-11-05
Sr3Frf Slory.
THE TWO NEIGHBORS.

One evening, as the twilight was dusk
iEg into deeper shades. Farmer Welton
stood in his dooryard, with gun in his
hand, and saw dog coming out from
his she'd II was not his dog, for his was
Of light color. while this was surely
black.
The siIet alluded to WAS open in front,
with Il double door for the passage of
carts, and wicket for pedestrians at the
back; and this Shed was part of a con-
tinuous structure connecting the barn
with the house Around back of this
Sized Was the sheep fold.
There had teen trouble upon Farmer
Weitons place Dogs had been killing
hIs slieep-and some of the very best, at
that. lie had declared, in his wrath,
that he would shoot the first stray dog
he found prowling about his premises.
On this evening, by chance, lie had been
carrying his gun from the house to the
barn, when the canine intruder ap-
pearcd. Aye, and in the barn he had
been taking the skin from valuable
steep which had been killed and man
gird with tigerisiI ferocity
So, when he saw the strange dog COM
in% through his shed, lac brought the
gan to his shoulder, and with quick,
sure aim, fired. The dog gave leap
and howl and having whisked around
in a circle, two or three times, he bound
ed of in II tangent, yelping painfully,
and :yas soon lost to sight.
Halo, what's TO pay now, Wcltop:"
''Ah-is that you, Frost:'
''Gcs. " been shootin' somrtIin',
'jnt yeE'
Eve shot dogl think"
''Ie-es. seed him scootin' Oft. 1t
WAS Brackets reckon"
Before the farmer could make any
further remarks, his wife called him
fram the porch, and he went ill.,
Very shortly afierward boy and Il
girl came out through the shed, as the
dog had come Down back of Welton's
farm, distant hail "a mile, or so, was
saw aud gFist mill, with quite little
settlement around it; and people having
occasion to go on foot from that section
to the farms on the hill could cut off
long distance by crossing >Kel[on's lot.
The boy and girl were chiliren of Mr.
Brackets. Whcn they reached home
they were met by scene of dire con-
fusion. Old Carlo, the grand old New
foundIaud dog--the loving and the loved,
the true and the faithfuI-had come
home shot through the head, and was
dying The children threw themselves
upon their shaggy mate, and wept and
moaued in agony
Mr. Brackett arrived just as the dog
bTeat ed his last. One Of the older boys
stood by with Il lighted luntern-for 1t
had grown quite dark now-and the
farmer saw what had happened.
John Welton did it, " said Tom Frost,
coming up at that moment He's been
iosi,.' sheep, an gueSs, he's got kind
o nrathy"
But nay dog never killed q sheep
never, He's been reared to care for
sheep. How came lie down there:7
He went over TO the mill with Sis
and me, said the young boy, sObbing
aS lie spoke; ''and he was running on
ahead of Us toward holue heard Il
gun Just before we got o Mr.. Welton's,
but OH! 1 didn't think he could have
shot poor Carlo"
Mr. Brackett was fIriy beside HIM
self. To say Ice .yas angry would not
express r. lie had loved that dog 1T
had been ii,e chief pet Of his household
for years. lie Was not IA man in the
labii Of Usiug psofane language, but on
tie present occasion Il fierce oath es-
cap"d him; and in hat frame OF mind
i erIIIy boiling with indignatior-he
started Tor Welyon's.
John Wei;o, aud Peter Biaokett had
been irighbors from their earliest days,
ami they had been friends, too. Be
tween lie two families there had been a
bond OF love and good will, and spirit
OF frateruaI kindness and regard had
marked their intercourse. Both the
farmers were hari-workins men, with
strong feelings and positive charaeteris-
ties. They belonged to tie same rellg-
iouS society. and > Iiltatlizsd In politics.
They had had warm discussions. but
never yes a direct falling out. OF the
two, WeIton was the more intellectual,
and, perhaps, little more tinged with
pride than was his Heighbor. But they
we're both hearty men, enjoying life foI
the good it gave them
Mr.. Wel5on entered his kitchen, and
stood bis empty gun behind the door.
! Whats the matter, John.' his wife
asked, as she saw his troubled face.
I'm afraid I've done . bad tlingy
he replied resretiul!y. Il fear have
! shot BRACKETS dog
"Oh, John
But l didn't knos. whose dog it was
( saw ham coming out from the shed-ii
was too dark to see more than that il
was "a dog. only thought OF the sheeE
I had lost, and fired
i am sorry, ,!ohn OH, how Mrs
/ B-aei-et5 and the children will feel
/ They sst everything by old Carlo. Bu
you can explain it."
''Yes-l can explain it"
Half an hour later Mr. WeIton wa
going to his barn with = lighted lanterr
in his hand. re vas thinking OF the re
cent unfortunate occurrence. and wa
soreIy worried and perplexed. VIVA
would his neighbor say, He hope,
there might be no trouble. He was re
fiecting thus when Rlr. Brackett an
peared bafoFe him, coming up quickly
end siopping with an angry stamp of hi
foot.
Now, there may be a volume of elec
tric influence even in the stamp of
| foot, and there was such an influence i