The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1886-04-28

son, with very round and rosy cheeks ana
plump figure, to the young men,.
Jerusha," said the Captain to this pleasing
person, who was watching demurely both
Shad and Shed with some pride In her
black eyes, for she knew her merit. "There
amt lad in the militia who has such
strong leg. Them buckskin breaches 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 a soldier;
no pantaloons Topping about them"
The maid smiled demurely,. while the
Captain slyly nudged Mrs Pellet on her
knowing wink. The maid observed this
and who can tell what contra
diction of nature IL was that led her to look
more steadily at Shad because they pointed
out Sheds gallantry to her!
When at noon the militia broke ranks for
an hour of rest and cider brandy, Shad-
rach in a cooked hat with a rosette and a
shad-bellied coat with faded buff facings
that had done service in 'l2, made his way
quickly to the tussock upon which sat Miss
Jerusha Pellett, and when she looked up at
him Shad perceived that at last Jerusha
knew her mind. And when Shed came a
moment later seeking her, he perceived
that she glanced slightingly. at his paste.
board hussar cap with the faded red ball
upon it, and especially disdained his buff
buckskins, and it alarmed him. But he de-
ternined that he would show his prowess
the afternoon. So, when the big gun that
had done services in two wars was brought
out, and the infantry became artillery,
Shed rammed home the cartridge with
mighty thrusts, furtively looking at the
maid when he finished, and stood erect
and daringly near the muzzle with the
ramro3 held upright. But he saw that II
was not at him that Jerusha looked, but
upon Shad, standing, with the vanity OF
success, at the vent, and applying the red
hot poker with what was meant to be most
military grace: and when the report came
with q great reverberation, Shed saw Shad
exchang ging 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.'
Il couldn't help it, Shed"
would make me wear the buckskins."
So it happened that when the June roses
were in bloom and the cherries were ripe
Sha adrach and Jerusha were married.
Had Captain Amzi remained longer on
earth, perhaps Shad would have been
spared some trials that he speedily met
But the Captains days were soon mum
bered, and Shed having departed to another
place, the old Platt homestead was dreary
and desolate. But Shad found his trial In
the Widow Pellet.
Shad was a very patient man, so much
so that Captain Amzi had often been per
picked respecting his name, wondering
whether it would not 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 II
happened that Shad. being indeed griev
ously beset by the widow, determined that
enn nv LOT ha xrp,,1I Iorrira hivp psalt
and Jerusha of her society. So when the
widow upbraided him as was her daily
wont, with all manner of faults Shad
meekly bent his head and received hel
verbal lashes, thinking the while that some
good means would come by which he would
peaceably overcome her. All the people OF
the village wondered at the meekness dis
played by Shad, and the report of his trials
having reached Shed, he wrote Shad a let
ter, saying that mo siX-foot man ought tt
be henpecked by a mother-in-iaw." Shad
patiently endured these things and went
his way. One morning the Widow Pellet
said to him:
"You Platts are fine lot. There's ne
more snap to you than to a toadstool; 4
fine lot you are"
And Shad, with meekness. replied:
YES, all fine: some finer than others. bu
all fine: yes, all fine."
"DO you hear that. Jerusha, in my owl
house, and him that encouraged to have
You. answers me back with impudence
Don't you see how cruel he isr'
"Yes, have heard it, mother. Do yol
suppose. Shad Platt. that I'd turned SheG
away If had dreamt you were going to b'
cruel to mother and me. You hurt oul
feelings every day. You don't seem t,
realize what a fine woman my mother is
and have no idea what fine family yo'
married into"
Yes" said Sbad, gently, "all fine. Som,
finer than Others but all fine; yes, all fine.
'sThere it is again, Jerusha. How mucl
tradiction and impudence!" and wher
Shad tried to laugh the unpleasantnes
away he was informed that he had 4
temper; and when he tried to take Jerushs
by the hand he was condemned for a crue
man, and when he said he hoped not, they
always getting in passion; and when, II
the humblest spirit, he said he sometimes
feared he did when the nigh OK and othel
critters bothered him. then, to his amaze
ment, the women sObbed and the widow
took Jerusha off to her own chamber tt
upon them again that day. But Shad
though patient man and a peaceful man
was a persistent one, and he bided hii
time.
One day the widow informed Jerusha
that it was to be borne no longer. "You'v<
got to live without, me or without him
Whatever possessed you to take him in
stead of Shedi Shed alters thought hear
more of you than Shad."
Mrs. Pellet observed that Jerusha spoke
not, and moved about her avocations with
closed lips. Shad saw it, too, and at length
asked her, pleasantly, il she had lost hel
tongue.
''No, but I've been thinking, Shad Platt,
that you and ME were great fools to gel
married, and it's too much to expect it's
going to last all our days, and 1t amt
Tomorrow you've got to drive me over to
Litchf1eld and draw twenty-five dollars out
of the savings bank"
morning, arrayed in his Sunday clothes
he drove his wife to Litchfield and gave bei
money; and while she was cOunseling with
the lawyers Shad sat on the bench unde,
the oak in the tavern yard and thanked
his stars that he was patient and persist
ent 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: 'Did you-did you get the
bill, Jerusha!"
sits going into court right away. But
let's you and 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 patience had her perfect work
and he wondered il the widow realized it
So Shad and Jerusha were divorced ant
all the people said it WAS well. The patien,
Shad went his way with silent persistence
pondering what he should do that he NIGH
still further accomplish his purpose re
specting the Widow Pellet. For, though
he confessed it to no one, Shad's design
had been but half perfected by the divorce
One afternoon, as he was moving the at
termath meadow, he stopped suddenly ant
how he could accomplish his design.
And when in the meetiDg-hOuse on thu