Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1886-06-23
SHADRACH PLATT.
A Calm and Patient Man Has His
Reward.

With martial tilt of his shaggy white
beaver hat, and pondorous cane with
silken tassels Captain AMI Platt awaited,
under tho big elm in his dooryard the
coming OF his sons, Shadrach and Meshach
The Captain had earned his title at Lundy's
Lane in ~ and carried about a perpetual
reminder Of that spirited battle in the form
of an irritating British bullet in his thigh
So he retained his martial spirit and it was
his habit to cast critical eye upon tho
youthful militia company Of the town on
the occasion of the yearly May training
after the blowing and the planting were
done and tho hoeing was awaiting its time
That critical eye was wont to subject the
two sturdy sons to preliminary and
private inspection but upon this bright
May morning there were unusual reasons
why the Captain was resolute in his dis
ciplinary determination.
Captain AMI had named his sons, as he
had all things with which he had to do,
from the Scriptures. for he was as earnest
a Puritan as he had been jealous soldier
He gave his possessions such appropriate
and suggestive names from the good book
as were befitting. His farm he called Ca
naan, because milk and honey abounded:
his three sons were Shadrach, Meshach and
Abednego, for he wished them to be trained
as by fire, He even called a vicious and
powerful bull NebuchadneZzar, not only
because of his viciousness, but because, like
the ancient king, he ate grass
BY the village people the three sons of
Captain AMI were addressed by abbrevi-
ated names Shadrach was called Shad,
Meshach was curiously corrupted into Shed,
while Abedncgo became Bed. To his faith
er's grief and astonishment, Bed persisted
with a cramp while swimming the cool
waters of Bantam on the Lords Day; but
Shad and Shed, being trained in what the
Captain conceived to be the rigorous
Scriptural way, became sturdy and strong
men, and it was with pride that the warrior
led his sons up to the Litchfeld ballot box
in 1872 to cast their first votes for Andrew
jackson.
Captain Amzis Democracy was as sound
as his orthodoxy. IL was Captain Amzi's
wish that one Of his sons should wed the
for the Captain had a practical eye, and it
had observed that the Widow Pellets farm
joined to his own would make noble ter
ritory, unequalled. the Captain thought, in
all Connecticut But the Captain met with
some perplexity, and often did he wish that
the widow had been blessed with two
daughters. For he perceived that both his
boys yearned for Jerusha Pellets smiles
and both were gratified, for they received
these manifestations; yet both were in dis
tribution Of such favors. So it happened
that the Captain had fixed upon the great
May training day as an occasion the maid
should be led to discover her own mind
Yet each Of the boys was to have fair
chance. So tho Captain had commanded
them to polish up their uniforms with
great care. Though these uniforms were in
no respect uniforms at all, for each MEM
Der of the militia wore such distinguishing
garments as pride or circumstance dictated,
yet in one respect there was uniformity,
for the buttons were all Of brass, moro or
less polished.
SO Captain AMI awaited under the elm
tree the coming of his sons, and soon Shad
was there, and his father scanned him
closely and babe him march back and forth
bit
"H'ist your shoulders" was the Captains
comment; "sot 'em well back, plump out
your chist, and look as stern as possible.
Remember and don't turn your left foot in
Therell be one there to obsarve you with
an observing eye.n
And by and by Shed came and pumped
down stout leg encased in buckskin
breaches, and he stood erect before his
father awaiting inspection. ,,n
the hussar cap leetle more over the eye,
and keep the strap Of it just under your
| lips; don't make the salute with your left
hand, II you be left-handed. DO your best,
WSen you marcS Sc. lee Sewsg
| 1t is stout one and maids like strength I,
and bear in mind when you are marching,
Meshach, that the widows woodland jires
| our medder.n
An hour or so later Captain AMI stood
| In the shadow of the brick church upon the
| village green, watching with proper pride
the evolutions Of the militia. These were
energetic, but not precise in all respects,
but there at the head of the file were Shad
and Shed. Shads chest swelled out with
| military frmness, while Sheds stout leg
was pumped with promptitude upon the
turf. No wonder Captain AMI pointed
them out with pride to a mature woman
| who stood beside him, dressed in silk
with mighty pnckers in the sleeve, or that
be directed the attention Of younger per
son, with very round and rosy cheeks and
| plump figure, TO the young men.
Just watch that step of Meshacbs,
Jerusha," said the Captain TO this pleasing
person, who was watching demurely both
Shsd and Shed with some pride in her
black eyes, for she knew her merit. There
amt lad In tho militia who has such
strong leg. Them buckskin breecbes was
his uncle's, worn at Lundy's Lane, and,
though Uncle Ephriam was a big man,
Meshach had all he could do to manage the
buckskins. Buckskin's the rig for soldier;
no pantaloons Topping about them.n
The maid smiled demurely, while the
Captain sly)y nudged Mrs. Pellet on her
puckered sleeve, and gave her q cute and