Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-04-15
TIE STRANGE EXPERIENCE
OF SHADRACH PLATT.

cane with silken tasSels, Captain AMI
pLatt awaited, under the big elm in
his door yard, the coming of his sons,
shadraeh and Mesbach. The captain
had earned his title at Lundy's Lane
in ,l2, and carried about the per-
petual reminder of the spirited battle
in the form of an irritating British
bullet in his thigh. So he retained his
martial spirit, ard it was his habit
TO cast critical eye upon the youth
full militia company of the town on
the occasion of the yearly May train
ing, after the ploughing and the plant
inc we're done and the hoeing was
awaiting its time That critical eye
was wont to subject the two sturdy
sons to preliminary and private in
spection, but upon this bright May
morning there were unusual reasons
why the captain was resolute in his
disciplinary determination.
Captain ami had named his sons,
as he had all things with which he had
to do, iron the Scriptures, for he was
as earnest s Puritan as he had been a
jealous soldier. He gave his posses
sions such appropriate and suggestive
names from the good book as were be-
fitting. His farm he called Canaan,
because milk and honey abounded; his
three sons were Shadrach, Mesbach,
and Abednego, for be wished them to
be trained as by fire. He even called
vicious and powerful bull Nebuchad-
nezza, not only because OF his vicious.
ness, but because, like the ancient
King, he ate grass.
By the village people the three sons
of Captain AMI were addressed by
abbreviated names. Shadrach was
called Shad; Mesbach was curiously
corrupted into Shed, while Abednego
Secame Bed. To his father grief and
astanishment, Bed persisted with a
cramp while swimming the cocl waters
Of Bantam on the Lords Day; but
Shad and Shed, being trained in what
the Captain conceived to be the rigor-
Gus sefiptural way, became sturdy and
strong men, and it was with pride
that the warrior led his sons upto the
Litchfield ballot box in '32 to cast
their first votes for Andrew jackson.
Captain Amzi's Democracy was as
sound as his orthodoxy.
1t was Captain Ami wish that one
OF his sons should wed the daughter
of his neighbor of the next farm; for
the Captain had practical eye, and
1t had observed that the Widow Pei
let's farm joined TO his own would
make noble territory, unequalled,
the Captain thought, in all Connecti-
cut. 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 bis boys yearned for Jerusha
Pellets smiles, and both weregratified,
for they received these manifestations;
vet both were in distraction, for she
was impartial in her distribution OF
such favors. So it happened that the
Captain had fixed upon the great May
training day as an occasion when the
maid should be led to discover her
own mind Yet each OF the boys was
to have fair chance. So the Cap
.aIn had commanded them to polish
up their uniforms with great care.
Though these uniforms were in no re-
spect uniforms at all-for each mem
Der of the militia wore such distin-
gushing garments as pride or circum-
stance dictated-yet in one respect
there was uniformity, Tor the buttons
were all of brass, more or less polished.
So Captain AMI awaited under the
elm tree the coming of his sons and
soon Shad was there and his tather
scanned him closely and bade him
march back and forth a bit.
Hist your shoulders, was the
Captains comment; "set 'em well
back, plump out your chist, and look
as stern as possible. Remember and
don't turn your left foot in There'll
be one there to obsarve you with an
observing eye"
And by and by Shed came and
pumped down a stout leg encased in
buckskin breeches, and he stood erect
before his father awaiting Inspection.
you'll do" said the veteran.
"Pltch the hussar cap a leetle more
over the eye, and keep the strap of it
Just under your lips; don't make the
salute with the LETT hand il you beleft
handed. Do your best Mesbach.
There'll be one eying you. When you
march set that leg down firm. IL is
stout one, and maids like strength;
and bear in mind when you are
marching, Mesbach, that's the widows
woodland jines our medder."
An hour so later Capt. AMI stood
IN the shadow of the brick church up
on the village green, watching with
proper pride the evolutions OF the mi
titia. These were energetic, but not
precise in all respects, but there at the
head of the file were Shad and Shed.
Shad's chest swelled out with military
hrmness, while Sheds stout leg was
pumped with prompitude upon the
turf. No wonder Captain AMI point
ed them out with pride to mature
woman who stood beside him dressed
in a SILK gown with mighty Fuckers in
the sleeve, or that he directed the at.
tention of younger person, with very
round and rosy cheeks and plump
Inquire TO the young men.
oOcU NdbIi bll1l SltDO hCSOosh :;
Jerusha," said the Captain to this
pleasing person, who was watching
demureiy both Shad and Shed with
some pride in her black eyes, for she
knew her merit There amt n lad
in the militia who has such strong
leg Them buckskin breeches was his
uncle's, worn Mt Lundy's Lane, and
though Uncle Ephraim was big man,
Mesback had al he could do to man.
age the buckskins. Buckskin's the rig
Tor soldier, no pantaloons Hopping
about them"
The maid smiled demuuely while the
captain slyly nudged Mrs. Pellet on
herpuckered sleeve and gave her a cute
and knowing wink. The maid observ-
ed this pantomime, and who can tell
what contradiction OF nature it was
that led her to look more steadily at
shad because they pointed out Sheds
gallaatry to herr
When at nooa the militia broke
ranks Tor an hour of rest and cider
brandy, Sfadrach. in a cooked hat,
with a rosette and a shadbellied coat,
With faded buff facings that had done
service in II, made his way quickly
70 the tussock upon which sat
Miss Jerusha Pellet, and when she
looked at him Shad perceived that at
last Jerusha knew her mind. And
when Shed came moment later seek
ing her, he perceived that she glanced
sighting at his pasteboard hussar
cap, with a faded red ball upon it and
especially disdained his uffbucksklns
and 1t alarmed him. But he deter
mined that he would show his PROV