Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1876-11-10

the true and the faithful-had come home
shot through the head, and was dying.
The children threw themselves on their
shaggy mate and wept and moaned in ago.
ny.
Mr.. Bracket arrived just as the dog
breathed his last. One Of the older BOYS
stood by with a lighted lantern, for it had
grown dark now, and the farmer saw what
had happened.
"Who did this ?'' he asked, groaningly.
"John Welton did it," said Tom Frost,
coming up at that moment. ''He's been
losin' sheep, and guess he's got kind of
wrathy."
"But my dog never killed a sheep-nev-
er! He's been reared to care for sheep.
How came he down there ?"
HE went over to the mill with Sis and
me, said the younger boy, sobbing as he
spoke; land he was running on ahead of
US toward home. heard a gun just be-
fore we got to Mr.. Welton's, but, OH 1
did lot think he could have shot poor Car
To-"
MI. Bracket was fairly beside himself.
To say he was angry would not express it.
He had loved that dog-it had been the
chief pet of his household for years. Lit
orally boiling with hot wrath and indigna-
ton, he started for Welton's.
John Welton and Peter Bracket had
been neighbors ON 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 belonged
to the same religious society and sympa-
thized in politics. They had warm dis
cussions, but never yet a direct falling
out. OF the two Welton was the more in
tellectual, and perhaps a 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.
'sI'm afraid I've done bad thing" he
replied. regretfully. Il fear I have shot
Brackets dog"
''Oh. John ~
'But didn't know whose dog it was.
I saw him coming out from the shed-it
was too dark to see more than that it was
dog. l only thought of the sheep 1 had
lost and I fired.''
II am sorry, John. Oh, how Mrs. Brack-
EFT and the children will feel. They set
everything by old Carlo. But you can ex-
| plain it.''
Eyes, can explain it.''
| Half an hour later Mr.. Welton was go
| ing to his barn with lighted lantern III
his hand. He was thinking of the recent
unfortunate occurrence, and was sorely
| worried and perplexed. What would his
neighbor say F? He hoped there would be
no trouble. He was rejecting thus when
Mr.. Bracket appeared before him, coming
Eup quickly and stopping with an angry
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 Welton felt it
and braced himself against it. There was,
moreover, an atmosphere exhaling from
the presence Of the irate man at once re-
pellant and aggravating.
ssJohn Welton, you have shot my dog"
The words were Kissed forth hotly.
stYes.'' said w elton icily.
'sHow dared you do it ?''
81 dare shoot any dog that comes prowl-
ing 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 I know it ?"
| "You know that he never did harm to
sheep. It wasn't in his nature. 1t was
a mean, cowardly act, and you shall suffer
for it.''
Bracket. you don't know to when you
are talking"
''Oho! Well find out. Don't put on
airs, John Welton, you amt saint. I'll
have satisfaction, if I have to take it out
Of your hide" ...
s'Peter, you'd better 60 home and cool
eff. You are making yourself ridiculous
| Now, really, this was the unkindest cut
Of all. Not all the mad words Of Brack-
EFT put together were SO hard as this sin gle
sentence and John Welton put all the bit
ter sarcasm in his command into it.
Bracket broke forth into torrent Of
invectives, and then turned away.
Half an hour later John Welton &C
knowledged to himself that he had not
done exactly right. Had he, in the out
set, in answer 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
power 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 q job wagon, and went to the vii
lage for barrel Of flour. Having trans
acted his store business, he called upon
Laban Pepper, a lawyer, to whom he mar
rated the facts Of the shooting of his dog.
Pepper was man anxious for fees. He
had no sympathy or soul above that.
'You say your dog was i'll company with
two OF your children ?"
eyes"
"And this passage oyer Mr.. Welton's
land and through his shed had been freely
Welded by him as right of way to his
neighbors ?"
eyes. sir, eyer since I can remember"
ssThen, my dear sir, Welton is clearly Ii