Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-04-15

Se'AA tC<tiS 10 llEf GNeSt
And when she urged Shad to 60 to
the law with the man who had cheat.
ed him with blind staggering horse,
1T offended her that Shad should say
very mildly that he should not 90 to
law. How could Jerusha, not vet I'M
Outstanding her husband, realize that
shad relied upon patience and persist
ence ior reparation? which we may
dlgress long enough to say he one day
obtained, for Shad blded his time un-
TIL occasion offered to buy one OF his
horse-dealing neighbours mortgages,
when having done SO Shad persisted
IN ioreclosing. Thus patiently Shad
Platt accomplished his purposes.
And there were other occurrences
which, Jerusha, not yet understand
ing her husband, set down as proof of
his milksop character.
But 1t was over the horse that blind
staggered that serious trouble arose,
and again Shad had trial. For on
the Sunday following she declared she
would not ride to meeting to be NOR
titled TO death again. But Shad drove
the staggerer around to the stump of
an oak that was used for a step
and persisted in his purpose, and
Jerusha was compelled to ride
behind the beast again, and there was
another scene in front of the church,
in which Jerusha having been pitched
from the wagon. ruined her garments
and was deeply wounded in spirit. So
that in her pew, instead of regaining
composure, she lost the little she pos
sessed, and quilted the church in an
ger
Shad saw her making her way to the
house OF her mothers brother, but he
did not follow her. He went calmly
to his home and spent the rest of the
Lord day doctoring the unruly beast
that took pride, seemingly, in stagger.
ing on Sunday.
But next day Jerusha came not, nor
the next, and yet the patient Shad went
about his avocations without dismay.
And by and by Shad received notice
duly weighted with legal verbiage to
the effect that his spouse, Jerusha,
sought to be released from the bonds,
q vinculo, of matrimony. Shad tuck.
ed the paper away between the leaves
oil the great family Bible, where inn
portant papers were kept, SO many
that the binding was sadly strained,
and that was all he did about 1t.
Some three months later Shad was
surprised to learn that the court de-
elined to grant the decree. Jeru-
sha had been unable to prov,
intolerable cruelty, or drunkenness, or
such other causes for divorce as are
set down in the statutes. But the
Litchfield county lawyers were able
men IN those times, and they babe
Jerusha to despair not. So-and this
much common repute sets down to be
a truth-one of them, whose genius
had overcome more difficulties than
one, induced the General Court, OF
legislature. to add to the causes
wherefore divorces may be granted
this clause, "0r such conduct us tends
to defeat the purpose OF the marriags
relation."
And with the blue bound copy ci
the new laws this lawyer went into
court and asked whether such con
duct as the compulsion of wife to
ride behind horse, afflicted with tho
blind staogers, TO church, to the great
dread, modification, and suffering OF
the wife, were not conduct sufficient
to defeat all harmonious marriage re
lations. And the Court thought de-
cidedly it was, especially as Shad APP
peared not in court to deny it.
Shad pursued his calm and patient
manner OF life in peace, but in course
of q year or two it dawned upon
his neighbors that Shad Platt, despite
his peaceful ways and his humble man.
ner, was a determined man. No
man could be found who in the long
run had worsted him. Thequiet man
ner in which he had evened up with
the wicked horse dealer became known,
and there were hints that Shad was
well beforehand with the world, and
had obeyed the Scriptures, so that he
had increased his talent till It had be-
come ten talents. And his neighbors
sent him to represent them in the
legislature, and one day elected him
high sheriff of the county, an honor of
great esteem in those times.
Once q week Shad saw Jerusha. She
sat in the Amen pew in the brick meet
ing house, and he was seated where he
must behold her, and he always spoke
pleasantly to her at the incoming, say.
ing: 'Im gladt to see you looking so
well, Jerusha."
One winters night there had been a
donation party at the parsons and
Jerusha was there and Shad, and when
it came time to depart, was it not
Shad that observed that, whereas all
the others were going away in sleighs,
Jerusha must needs walk? So he took
her gently by the arm and led her to
his sleigh, which was q fine one, richly
painted, and stuffed with heavy robes,
and, before the woman realized it,
there she was in the sleigh, well tucked
in, with Shad by her side, flying over
the snow like the wind, and she per-
ceived how powerful he was, and how
he mastered the spirited horse, and
how gently, though firmly, he spoke to
the animal.
"The horse hasn't got the blind stag
gers, Jerusha," said he at length, smii-
ing quietly. "Shall l give him the
bit?"
'Yes, if you wish" ..
They flew so size could not see, and
had to hold her breath, and she per-
ceived that Shad, to hold her firmly,
had passed his arms about her, with
respectful but powerful embrace.
Nor did she shrink away.
"Shall we ride further" he asked.
ayes" she said in a low voice. eyes,
it seems"
"Seems WHAT"
at seems so much like counting,
Shad. r.
ave never did much counting, Jeru-
sha. That was the trouble, guess.
Let's begin now. knew all along we
should, sooner or later. Didn't your"
al kinder hoped so, Shad."
And after that he paid his court to
her like a young lover, for he had
learned her merit, and perceived that
at last she loved him, as he had al
ways her, and she, with what Joy she
now saw her lover as he was, and With
what reproaches and mortification she
recale her blindness.
He lived with her forty years, and
five sons and daughters had they, and
when he died she could not stay with
out him, and lay down and followed
him within month.
Thus it happened, though twice di-
vorced and thrice married, Shadrach
Platt had only one wife, and with her
found peace and ioy.-New York Sun.
e. j. E.