Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-10-14
THE BETTER WAY.

One evening, as the twilight was dusk
ing into deeper shades, Farmer Welton
stood in his dooryard with gun in his
hands, and saw dog coming out of his
shed. 1t was not his dog, for his was of
a light color, while this was surely black.
The shed alluded to was open in front,
with double doors, for the passage of
carts and the shed was part of con-
tinuous structure connecting the barn
with the house. Around back of this
shed was the sheepfold.
There had been trouble upon Farmer
Welton's place. Dogs had been killing
his sheep-and some Of the very best at
that. He had declared, in his wrath,
that he would shoot the first stray dog
ho found prowling about his premises.
On this evening, 10y chance, he had
been carrying his gun from the house
to the barn when the cauine intruder
appeared. Aye, and in the barn he
had been taking the skin from q valuable
sheep that had been killed and mangled
with tigerish ferocity.
So when he saw the strange dog
coming through his shed, he brought
his gun to his shoulder, and with a
quick, sure aim, fred. The dog gave
leap and howl, and whirling around
in circle two or three times, he bounded
off in tangent, yelping painfully, and
was soon lost to sight
"Hallo What's to pay now, Wei
ton2"
"Ah-is that you, Frost ?"
eyes. Ye been shooting something,
haven't ye?"
"I've shot dog, think"
eyes. 1 seed him scootin' off. 1t
was Brackets, reckon"
Before the farmer could make any
further remark, his wife called to him
from the porch, and he went in.
Very shortly afterward boy and a
girl came ont through the shed as the
dog had come. Down back of Welton's
farm, distant half mile or so, was a
grist mill, with quite settlement
around it, and the people having occa-
sion to go on foot from that section to
the farms on the hills could cut off q
long distance by crossing Welton's lot.
The boy and girl were children of Mr..
Bracket. When they reached home
they were met by scene of dire con-
fusion. Old Carlo. the grand old New
foundland dog-the loving and the
loved-the true and the faithful-had
come home shot through the head, and
was dying. The children threw them
selves on their shaggy mate and wept
and moaned in agony.
Mr.. Brackett arrived just as the dog
breathed his last. One of the older boys
stood by with a lighted lantern, for il
had grown quite dark now, and the
farmer saw what had happened.
"Who did this 2" he asked, groan-
ingly.
"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 sheep
never He's been reared to care fol
sheep. How came he down there2"
"He went over to the mill with Sis
and me, said the younger boy, sobbinq
as he spoke and he was running on
ahead of us toward home. I heard a
gun just before we got to Mr.. Welton s.
but, oh / did not think he could have
shot poor Carlo"
Mr.. Brackett was fairly beside him
self. To say he was angry would moi
express it, He had loved that dog-i
had been the CHIEF pet OF his household
for years. Literally boiling with hot
wrath and indignation, he started fol
Welton's.
John Welton and Peter Brackett hat
been neighbors from their earliest
days, and they had been friends, too
Between the two families there had beer
bond of love and good will, and
spirit of fraternal kindness and regard
had marked their intercourse. Both th,
farmers we're hard working men, witt
strong feelings, and positive character
istics They belonged to the same reli
gious society and sympathized in poll
tics They had warm discussions, bu
never yet direct falling out. OF tn
two Welton was the more intellectual
and perhaps q little more tinged will
pride than was his neighbor. But the,