Weekly Trinity journal., 1876-08-26
A DRAWN GAME.

Pelatiah Potts and Dathan Dobbs were
owners of adjacent tracts. They were on
as bad terms as neighbors could be. A
partition fence interposed and made enc
mics of the else amiable Potts and Dobbs.
Pelatiah charged Dathan with sinking
his share Of the repairs. Dathan recrim-
mated and in the end no repairs at all
were made. In consequence, acts Of tres
pass by the respective live stock of the
parties became of daily occurrence, and
more and moro Of bad blood was engen-
dered.
Things got-to such pitch at last, that
the irate neighbors made Il solemn Vow'
each to shoot the first vagrant animal oil
the other he should catch upon his
grounds.
The first victim of the feud was a horse
Pelatiah had traded for one county court
day. lie CHANGED to stray across tho
" dead line" and soon after was found
ifeess with II bullet in his head.
A long and bitter lawsuit followed in
which Dathan was sorely worsted. No
one had seen him DO the bloody doed,
but the circumstantial evidence left no
room for doubt. The jury brought in a
verdict tor round sum, which, with a
singing bill of cost, Dathan was obliged
to pay. This of course didn't tend to
soothe his feelings much.
Among Dathan's stock was blooded
bull, u noble animal, in which he took
great pride, and whose name was Jock.
Jook's master took strict care to keep
him away from the temptations of the di-
vision fence, several panels of which was
level with the ground. Jock was the
very apple of his eye, and it was there he
know, his enemy would touch him if op-
portunity offered.
One day Jock went out browsing with
the other cattle. When he came up in
the evening, his master eyed him closely.
Whether he detected anything unusual
in jocks appearance, or whatever the
reason was, Dathan's face wore n look of
much anxiety. which deepened as time
passed and his scrutiny became more par
ticuar.
1t was q late hour before he loft the
barnyard and when ne did, it was GU
rious fact that he drove Jock before him
into vacant lot separated from Po Ia
tiah's cornfeld only by II adilapidated par
tition fence. He even waited to soc him
pass through one of the many gaps to
the forbidden side.
Pelatiah was up betimes next day, and
in his accustomed morning round, was
not long in discovering the lawess iber-
ty Jock had taken. The marauder lay,
with his legs doubled under him and his
head propped costly against pumpkin,
seemingly enjoying a peaceful sleep un-
troubled by any sense Of the wrong he
had committed.
Pelatiah's ego gistened. 1t was the
opportunity he had waited for. He walk
cd quickly to tho house, and soon came
out rifle in hand.
I'm fix him = he said to himself 'and
then hitch up the team and drag him tC
the rivers bluffs and toss him over
Then who's goin' to prove done it p
The scheme looked feasible enough
for it was early twilight, and none of the
neighbors appeared to be stirring yet.
Pelat:ah crept close enough to Jock t(
take sure aim, drew bead on the whtt
spot in the middle Of his forehead ant
banged away.
The report was answered by an audi
bic chucklo from the other side of tht
fence.
81 guess you've druv the center"
said jocks master, stepping forward anC
confronting the abashod Polatah. " Why
| swan he never kicked I"
Pelatiah turned red and began to STAN
mer.
WALL" continued Dathan, " bein'l
you made me pay for the hoss, s'poa
you hain't no objection to settlin 4
this"
Pelatiah saw the strait he was 4 n
There was no disputing the facN Nho Il
had been taken Fagrante delictg IN
lawyers say. What the lawLI, in G
such cases, he had learned suH :,
his recent contest with DathaB Bo,otiob lc
Let's leave it to men," II ioh d
willing to make the best of ,:,, 'DD. G
Dathan consented. N a third n
man, and these two sgho ,rihnnoI h
The case was laid bg awarded two it
thus chosen, who prq' for Jock was
hundred dollars to Din hat can eommu. m
highly valued any A
nifty. honey with Wrv "
Pelatiah paid VI in full. b
face, and took agne satisfaction I've al
Wall ! theRc< was wuth every 81
got" sad yhe fun of shootin' him 6
cent I've paidine-'
but that hosE ?" asked Dathan. al
" What 9hap | got him of cheated de
Wall ,Glatiah. The boss was re
me-" sgoon's / dskivered the fact, n,
stone blYtrespassin' onto you. You ~ u,
| let h9n' got a hundred and fifty th
shot Desides costs, for critter as So
dollHth five" IN
warp, now," Dathan answered tight :"
'yhng the pocket he had put the so
lYinto, | don't think you've much he
l9g on thar"
Ehy so ?" asked Pelatiah.
EYou see, Jock went out browsin' yes
1ay." in
Wall ?" an
Wall .she pizened hsself on buckeye or
yes. / soon seed it was all up with VI
n, else do you think I'd lot him cross en-
,r into your field ? Why, the poor of
Ist was as dead as q doornail when to
/ shot him." -
Neghbcr, let's call it square, an say ~
more about it," said Pelatiah, reach
out his hand.
The proffered treaty was accepted. The a. >,
, shook hands the division fence was M