New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-04-14
THE STRANGE EXPERIENCE
OF SHADRACH PLATT.

cane with silken ta,ssels, Captain AMI
Plat awaited, under the big elm in
his door yard, the coming Of his sons,
+Shadrach and Mesbach. The captain
had earned his title at Lundy's Lane
in ~, and carried about the per-
petual reminder Of the spirited battle
III the form Of an irritating British
bullet in his thigh So he retained his
martial spirit, and it was his habit
to cast q critical eye upon the youth
ful militia company OF the town on
the occasion OF the yearly May train
ing, after the ploughing and the plant
ing were done and the hoeing was
awaiting it's time. That critical eye
was wont to subject the two sturdy
ssons to a 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, from the Scriptures, for he was
as earnest a 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 he wished them to
be trained as by fire. He even called
a 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
became Bed. TO his father grief and
:astonishment, Bed persisted with a
"cramp while swimming the co 81 waters
of Bantam on the Lords Day; but
Shad and Shed, being trained in what
athe Captain conceived to be the rigor.
~ous sctiptural way, became sturdy and
strong men, and it was with pride
. that the warrior led his sons up to the
Ldtehtield ballot box in '32 to cast
their first votes for Andrew jackson.
Captain Annzi's Democracy was as
sound as his orthodoxy.
1t was Captain AMI s wish that one
of his sons should wed 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's farm joined to his own would
make noble territory, unequal]ed,
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 were gratifed,
for they received these manifestations;
yet 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 a fair chance. So the Cap
sam had commanded them to polish
up their uniforms with great care
Though these uniforms were in no re.
.spect uniforms at all-for each men,
Sber Of the militia wore such distin-
gushing garments as pride or circum-
stance dictated-yet in one respect
there was 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.
"H'ist 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. Therell
be one there to obsarve you with an
observing eye"
And by and by Shed came and
pumped down stout leg encased in
buckskin breeches, and he stood erect
before his father awaiting inspection
1YouH do said the veteran.
ssPitch the hussar cap a. leetle more
sover the eye, and keep the strap OF it
just under your lips; don't make the
salute with the left hand if you beleft
handed. Do your best Mesbach.
There'll be one eying you. When you
march set that leg down firm. It is a
stout one, and maids like strength;
and bear in mind when you are
snarching, Mesbach, that's the Widows
woodland jines our medder.'
An hour or so later Capt Amzistood
in the shadow OF the brick church up
on the village green, watching with
proper pride the evolutions OF the mi
~lhtaa. These were energetic, but not
precise in all respects, but there at the
head Of the file were Shad and Shed.
Sbad's chest swelled out with military
frmness, while Sheds stout leg was
pumped with prompitude upon the
turf: No wonder Captain AMI point
ed them out with pride to a mature
woman who stood beside him dressed