Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1886-06-23

| Wnen at noon the militia broke ranks 10
an hour OF rest and cider brandy, Shad
rach, in a cooked hat with rosette and ,
4 ad-bellied coat with faded buff facing
that had done service in IL, made his way
quickly TO the tussock upon which sat Mis-
Jerusha Pellett, and when she looked up a
h-u Shad perceived that at last Jerllsh,
knew her mind. And when Shed came
moment later seeking her, he perceived
that she glanced slightingly at his paste
board hussar cap with the faded red bal
upon it. and especially disdainel his buf
buckskins, and IL alarmed him. But he do
termined that he would show. his proves
with the big cannon at the artillery drill In
the aftesnoon. So, when the big gun tina
had done services in two wars was brought
out and the infantry became artillery
Shed rammed homo the cartridge with
mighty thrusts, furtively looking at the
maid when he finished, .and stood erect
and daringly near the muzzle with the
ramrod held upright. But he saw that il
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 great reverberation, Shed saw Shad
exchanging 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."
II couldn't help it, She'd"
~
| would make me wear the buckskins."
So it happened that when the June roses
| were In bloom and the cherries were ripe
| Shadrach and Jerusba were married.
Had Captain AMI remained longer on
| earth, perhaps Shad would have been
spared some trials that he speedily met.
But the Captains days were soon num-
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 IL
| happened that Shad, being indeed griev-
ously boset by the widow, determined that
sooner or later he would deprive himself
widow upbraided him as was her daily
wont, with all manner of faults, Shad
meekly bent his head and received her
verbal lashes, thinking the while that some
| good means would come by which he would
| peaceably overcome her. All the people of
played by Shadyald the report Of his trials
| having reached Shed, he wrote Shad a let
ter, saying that 'no six-foot man ought to
be henpecked by a mother-in-law." Shad
l pdUlenUly enuuTeu tueSe UnlnRS anu WtHU
his way. One morning the Widow Pellet
said to him:
"You Platts are fine lot There's no
more snap to you than to toadstool; a
fine lot you are"
And Shad, with meekness, replied:
Yes, all fine; some finer than Others, but
| all fine; yes, all fine"
| "Do you hear that, Jerusha, in my own
house, and him that encouraged to have
| you, answers me back with impudencei
Don't you see how cruel he is!n
Eyes, have heard it, mother. Do you
suppose, Shad Platt, that I'd a turned Shed
away il had dreamt you were going to be
cruel to mother and me. You burt our
feelings every day. You don't seem to
realize what fine woman my mother is,
and have no idea what fine family you
married into"
Yes" said Sbad gently, ''all fine. Some
| finer than others, but all fine; yes, all fine"
"There it is again, Jerisha. How much
| longer arc arc you going to STAN such con-
tradiction and impudence" and when
| Shad tried to laugh the unpleasantness
| away he was informed that he had a
| temper; and when he tried to take Jerusha
| by the hand he was condemned for a cruel
man, and when he said he hoped not, they
| told him he was in n passion, that he was
always getting in 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 amaze
ment, the women sobbed and the widow
took Jerusha Off to her own chamber TO
console her, and Shad did not set eyes
upon them again that day. But Shad,
though patient man and peaceful man,
was a persistent one, and he bided his
time.
One day the widow informed Jerusha
that it was to be borne no longer. you've
got to live without me or without him.
Whatever possessed you TO take him in
stead of Shed! Shed alters thought heap
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 her
tongue;
that you and me were great fools to get
married, and it's too much to expect it's
going to last all our days, and it amt.
Tomorrow you've got to drive mo over TO
Litchfield and draw twenty-five dollars out
of the savings bank"
Shad uttered no word of protest, but next
morning, arrayed in his Sunday clothes,
he drove his wife to Litchfield and gave her
money and while she was counseling with
the lawyers Shad sat on the bench under
the oak in the tavern yard and thanked
his stars that he was patient and persist
emit man and when she came out to him no
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.n
ats 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 moro 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 and
all the people said it was we'll. The patient
Shad went his way with silent persistence,
bordering what.he should do that he might
still further accomplish his purpose re-
speeding the Widow Pellet. For, though
he confessed il to no one, Shad's design
had been but half perfected by the divorce
One afternoon, as he was moving the af-
termath meadow, he stopped suddenly and
laughed gently, for it had come to him
how he could accomplish his design.
And when in the meeting house on tho
next Lords Day the Widow Pellet and her
daughter saw Shad escorting comely
yuuhg housekeeper-she was the widow of
his cousin--and her little son to the old
Platt pew, Shad perceived, as he glanced
furtively at the Pellet pew, that he should
accomplish his purpose, and that there are
other revenges than loud -noised and vehe-
ment ones, for the widow wrestled with
her annoyance and Jerusha's cheeks be-
came pale with emotion as she beheld the
young housekeeper.
Not many Sundays were the widow and
her daughter able to endure this sight, for
the housekeeper was very comedy and
Shad was most courteous to her. So after
some weeks the widow, seeing Shad one day
down by the brook meadow, which was not
far from her house, clad herself properly
and went out to him. And she spoke some
words sorrowfully to him, and even limited
that she might have been hasty but, above
all, she bade him take pity on Jerusha.
"Does Jerusha want pity. Send her right
out to me, Mrs. Pellet and i'm a few
m w EG Ua
pale, came slowly out to meet him, and
Shad went up to her holding out his hand
and said some things to her gently, and
well, it became known In the village before
made up their minds to marry again, but.
that Shad had insisted that Jerusha come
with him to the old Platt homestead and
that the widow should remain i'm her old
home. Shad had his way in another mat
ter, too, for he was married by the same
iudRe who divorced Ierllsha frnm him