The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-04-23

the big gun that had done service in
two wars vas brought out, and the in
fantry became artillery, Shed rammed
home with mighty thrusts, furtively
looking at the maid when he finished,
and stood erect and daringly near the
mczzle with the ramrod held up.
right. But he saw that it was not at
him that Jerusha looked, but upon
Shad, standing, with the vanity OF suc-
cess, at the vent and applying thered-
hot poker with what was meant to be
most military grace, and when the re-
port came with q great reverberation
Shed saw Shad exchanging a greeting
through the rising smoke with the
plump little maid beyond.
And that night Shed called Shad
aside and said to him:
She's decided to-day. It's you,
Shad."
u couldn't help it, Shed"
1T was your regilnentals, Shad.
Father would make Mo wear the buck
skins"
So it happened that when the June
roses were in bloom and the cherries
were ripe Shadrach and Jerusha were
married.
Had Captain AMI remained longer
on earth perhaps Shad would have
been spared some trials that he had
speedily met. But tho Captain'sdays
were soon numbered, and Shed, hay
ing departed to another place, the old
Piatt homestead was dreary and des-
olate. But Shad found his trial in the
Widow Pellet.
shad was a very patient man, SO
much so that Captain AMI had often
been perplexed respecting his name,
wondering whether it would have been
wiser to have named the boy Job.
And being very patient he had of
course, great persistency, which, by
reason OF his meek manner, the widow
and his wife did not suspect.
So it happened that Shad, being in
deed previously beset by the widow,
determined that sooner or later he
would deprive himself and Jerusha of
her society. So when the widow up
braided him, as was her daily wont,
with all name Of faults, Shad meek
ly bent his head and received her YER
bal lashes, thinking the while some
good means would come by which he
would peaceably overcome her.
All the people OF the village wonder
ed at the meekness displayed by Shad,
and the report OF his trials having
reached Shed, he wrote Shad a letter.
saying that ''no six-foot man ought
to be henpecked by amother-in-law."
Shad patiently endured these things,
and went his way.
One morning the Widow Pellet said
to him: you Platts are a fine lot.
There's no more snap to you than to
a toadstool; a fine lot you are"
And Shad with meekness, replied:
Eyes, all fine; some finer than 9TH
ers, but all fine; yes, all fine"
EDO you hear that, Jerusha, in my
own house, and him that Encouraged
to have you, answers me back with
lmpudence? Don't you see how cruel
he ISL"
eyes, | have heard it, mother. Do
you suppose, Shad Platt, that I'd q
turned Shed away if I'd dreamt YOU
We're going to be cruel to mother and
You hurt our feelings every day.
You don't seem to realize what a fine
woman my mother is, and to have no
idea what q fine family you married
into
yes" said shad, gently, call fine.
Some finer than Others, but all fine;
yes, all fine"
''There it is again, Jerusha. How
much longer are you going to stan
such contradiction and i~mpudence?"
and when Shad tried to laugh the UNI
pleasantness away he was informed
that he had q temper; and when he
tried to take Jerusha by the hand he
was condemned for q cruel man, and
when he said he hoped not, they told
nm he was in q passion, that he was
always getting into a passion; and
when in the humblest spirit, he said
he sometimes feared he did when the
nigh OK and other critters bothered
him then, to his amazement, the
women sobbed and the widow took
Jerusha off to her own chamber to con-
sole her, and Shad did not set ewes
upon them again day. But Shad,
though a patient man and u peaceful
man. was a persistent one, and he bided
his time.
One day the widowinformed Jerusha
that it was to be borne no longer.
you've got to live without me or
without him. What everpossessed you
to take him instead OF Shed? Shed al
lers thought a heap more OF you than
Shad."
Mrs. Pellet observed that Jerusha
spoke not, and moved about her avo-
cations with closed lips. Shad saw it
too, and at length asked her, pleasant
ly, if she had lost her tongue.
"No, but I've been thinking, Shad
Platt, that you and me were great
fools to get married, andit's too much
to ~expectit's going to last all ourdays,
and it amt. Tomorrow you've got
to drive me over to Litchtield, and
draw $25 ont of the savings bank"
Shad uttered no word ofprotest, but
next morning, arrayed in his Sunday
clothes, he drove his wife to Litchtield,
and gave her money; and while she
was counselling with the lawyers Shad
sat on the bench under the oak in
the tavern yard, and waited tor
her, and thanked his stars that
he was a patient and persistent
man, and when she came out
to him he gently lifted her into the
wagon, and drove silently home. Just
before he reached the gate he asked:
you-did you get the bill, Juru-
sha?"
cts going into court right away.
But let's you and l part good friends,
Shad."
He did not even go in with her, but
drove away to the desolate Platt
homestead, and Shad no more entered
the widows house: and he thought,
as he sat by his solitary fire that pa
thence had her perfect work, and he
wondered if the widow realized it.
So Shad and Jerusha were divorced,
and all the people said it was well.
The patient Shad went his way with
silent persistence, bordering what he