The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-04-23
THE STRANGE EXPERIENCE
OF SHADRACH PLATT.

4&T-PA
ing were done and the hoeing was
awaiting its time. That critical eye
w. wont to subject the two sturdy
Sons to q 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 Amzi had named his sons,
- he had all Things with which he had
to do, from the Scriptures, for he was
as earnest a Puritan as he had been a
sealous soldier. He gave his posses
sions such appropriate and suggestive
nalnes 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 he wished them to
De trained as by, fire. He even called
2 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 Amzi were addressed by
abbreviated names. Shadrach was
called Shad; Mesbach was curiously
corrupted into Shed, while Abednego
became Bed. To his father grief and
astonishment, Bed persisted with a
cramp while swimming thecocl waters
OF Bantam on the Lords Day; but
Shad and Shed, being trained in what
the Captain conceived to be the rigor.
ousscriptural way, became sturdy and
strong men, and it was with pride
that the warrior led his sons upto the
Iitchfield 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 Amzi's wishthat one
OF his sons should we'd the daughter
OF his neighbor OF the next farm; for
the Captain had a practical eye, and
it had observed that the Widow Pei
let farm joined to his own would
makea noble territory, uneaualled,
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 his boys yearned for Jerusha
Pellets smiles, and both weregratifed,
Tor they received these manifestations;
yet both were in distraction, for she
was impartial in her distribution of
such fayors. 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 q fair chance. So the Cap
Gam 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 vas uniformity, for 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 father
scanned him closely and babe him
march back and forth a bit.
Hist your shoulders" was The
Captains comment; "set 'em we'll
back, plump out your chist, and look
as stern as possible. Remember and
don't turn your left foot in. There'l
be one there to obsarve you with an
observing eye"
And by and by Shed came and
pumped down q stout leg encased in
buckskin breeches, and lie stood erect
before his father awaiting inspection.
35E tSVNYxfN DO - .o;J %1
"Pitch the hussar cap a leetie more
over the eye, and keep the strap of it
just under your lips; don't make the
salute with the left hand if you be left
handed. Do your best Mesbach.
ThereW be one eying you. When you
march set that leg down firm. 1t is a
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 or 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.
litia. These were energetic, but not
precise n all respects, but there at the
head of the file were Shad and Shed.
Sbad's chest swelled out with military
firmness, while Sheds stout leg was
pumped with prompitude upon the
turf. No wonder Captain AMI point
ed them out with pride to q mature
woman who stood beside him dressed
in q silk gown with mighty Fuckers in
the sleeve, or that he directed the at.
tention of ayoungerperson, with very
round and rosy cheeks and plump
figure to the young men.
Gust watch that step of Mesbach's,
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 q lad
in the militia who has such n strong
leg. Them buckskin breeches was his
uncle's, worn at Lundy's Lane, and
though Uncle Ephraim was a big man,
Mesback had all he could do to man
age the buckskins. Buokskin's the rig
for q soldier, no p%antaloons Topping
about them"
The maid smiled demurely, while the
captain slyly nudged Mrs. Pellet on
her puckered sleeve and gaveher acute
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
gallantry to her?
When at noon the militia broke
ranks for an hour Of rest and cider
brandy, Shalrach. in a cooked hat,
With rosette and a shadbellied coat,
withfaded buff facings that had done
service In 10, made his way quickly
to the tnssock upon which sat
Miss Jerusha Pellet, and when she
lioOkeda ct him Shqd perceived that at
Idriaah a einasH har4..nna "a