The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-04-18
Prudence and
ZQbed.
BY M. QUAD.

~ we &O"Ss
copyright, 1909, by r. c. McClurel
Prudence Smith and Zabed Winters
met at spelling school and were r.,
pressed with each other. Zabed wv,.
have married her If the Widow Pen
rose hadn't mixed in. She wanted the
young man for herself. and in awe
some whispers she impaired the infOr
nation that Prudence Smith wal
knockkneed and would never he able
to stand at washtub or run up and
down the cellar stairs. The young mar
was ut once impressed. He ceased to
spark Prudence on Sunday nights and
assure her that he lOnged to jump
over precipices for her sake, and OF
course she resented It, She went about
with her chin in the air and asked for
no explanations, and SO relations were
strained for many long months. Then
the matter with him and set him
right. The widow had lied Zabed
made it up with the girl The doves
came back again and turtled. a new
date was set for the marriage. and
Farmer Smith reached out his horny
hand for a shake and said:
"Zabed, gol durn your buttons, you're
gittin' the real thing, and you orter
be the happiest man i'm Woodchuck
county"
Zabed was for about two weeks.
Then Deacon Gray who was widow
er and wanted Prudence for his second
wife, gave up some information about
Zabed. When he had sworn her to the
most awful secrecy he confessed that
the young man had live frog in his
stomach and would probably go mad
within two years and cut the throat Of
his wife if he had one. The frog had
jumped down Zabed's throat one day
when he was drinking from the horse
pond. and, though thousands of in-
ducements had been held out to him.
nothing could prevail upon him to
jump out.
Well. where is the young girl no
matter how her heart turks with love,
who Is going to marry young man
with live and growing frog in his
stomach? She can't be found She
wasn't found in this case. Prudence
Smith cooled off on Zabed Winters.
the air and was too proud to ask for
an explanation. 1t was year before
one came. Then lightning rod man
stayed overnight at Smiths. and after
supper he got to talking about frogs.
Seeing he. was posted on the subject
Prudence made bold to ask him if he
had ever heard Of frog taking up in
side quarters. and he answered that
such thing was absolutely impossi-
bic and beyond belief. Zabed Winters
had probably swallowed small fish
and the fish might be growing. but II
left alone he could in time be fished
for and caught. That settled the frog
question. and Zabed was invited to
come around and make up He got a
hustle on him, and the turtledoves
sang soft and low a new date was ap-
pointed. and Farmer Smith stopped
chOpping wood long enough to extend
a hand and say:
Zabed, you gol burned idiot, don't
you know when you've got a good
thing? Don't fool around any nlore''
Zabed didn't want to. but before it
had been decided which minister |
should marry them old Mrs. Snyder |
struck his trail. She was too old to
marry, but not too old to utter warn
Ing for the benefit Of young man |
who had put in a day hoeing her gar
den and refused to take pay for It. |
She told him right straight out that |
Prudence Smith snored like steam
engine. that she had six toes on her
Eight foot and only four on her left,
that she had had st. vitus' dance when
q baby ana that It was sure to come
back on her some day. It might not be
= year after marriage that Zabed
would come up from the cOrnfield
some afternoon, and ind her dancing I
all around the dooryard and kicking as
high % Z fence. That settled Zabed
He wanted Prudence. but he didn't
want dancing dervish. More cold
neGs, more strained relations. It was
kul1S yelr before old Mrs. Snyder was
proved liar, and It took three months
longer to make up and set another
date. Things had run smoothly to
within fortnight Of the date when a
tin peddler came along and bought a
eheepskin Of Zabed aud then told him
that Prudence Smith was deaf In the
right ear, nearsighted IN both eyes and