The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1911-02-10

.t n 4 hiN NNN'N r.
.3 esq. ....,.. 49,. ard 80 fciltl,ss we.
4,rrh,f frnH long months. 1hei
I'i.'~ nr feurd out what wa
IN matte, VITA him and SET hin
n 20 The widow h.d lied. Zabe,
ade q up vita The giF The doves
clme bass iln and urtlcd. a new
dJic N-s SEQ Tor The marriage. an,
Farmer Smith rcnchcd out his horny
hand for sias and said
"Zlbcd. eol Gu.n your battons. you're
eiuin' the real thing. and you ortel
be tue hlppicst man In Woodchueh
county"
Xabcd was for about two weeks
Then Deacon Gray. who was a widow
er and wanted Prudence for his second
wife. gave up some information about
Zabed When he had sworn her 10 the
most awful secrecy he confessed that
the young man had live frog In his
stomach and would probably 20 mad
within two years and cut the throat Of
his Wife II he had one The frog bad
when he was drinking from the horse
pond. and Though thousands OF IN
ducements had been held out 20 him.
nothing could prevail upon him 10
jump out
Well, where is the young girl. no
matter how her heart turks with love.
who IS going 10 marry a young man
with a live and growing frog in his
stomach? She can't be found She
wasn't found in this case. Prudence
Smith cooled of on Zabed Winters.
and nc went abou; with his chin IN
the air and was too proud TO ask fer
IN explanation. 1t was n. year before
one csme. Then a lightning roe man
stared overnight at Smiths. and after
supper he got 10 talking about frogs.
Seeing he was posted on the sutjs :
Prudence made bold 70 ask him IL he
had ever heard Of a frog taking up In
side quarters, and he answered that
such a thing was absolutely impossi-
bic and beyond belief. Zabed Winters
bad probably swallowed q 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. lie gotta
hustle on him. and the turtledoyes
sang soft and low. a new date was ap-
pointed. and Farmer Smith stopped
chopping wood long enough to extend
hand and say:
"Zabed. you gol burned. idiot. don't
you know when you've got a good
thingf Don't fool around any more"
Zabed didn't want to, but before II
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 a warn
Ing for the benefit Of a young man
who had put in day hoeing her gar
den and refused TO take pay for It.
She told him right straight out that
Prudence Smith snored like a steam
engine. that she bad six toes on her
right foot and only four on her left
that she had had ct yitus' dance when
a baby and that 81 was sure 10 come
back on her some Gay. II might not b.
year nfter marriage that Zabcd
would come up from the corndeld
some afternoon and find her dancing
all around the docryard and kicking as
high Us a fence That settled Zabed
He wanted Prudence. but he didn't
want dancing dervish. More cold
ness. more strained relations. II was u
full year before old Mrs. Snyder was
proved a liar, and II took three months
longer 10 make up and set another
date Things had run smoothly 70
within n fortnight Of the date when n
tin pcddler came along and bought a
shcepskin Of Zabcd and then told him
that Prudence Smith was deaf in the
right car nearslghtcd in both eyes and
would be tongue tied before she was
two years older Zabed hadn't noticed
the deafness or blindness. but he be-
lieved In tin peddlers and ut once grew
frigid- Result another year lost.
Fate was still in the game. however
and when every body, including the
two principals, had made up their
minds that there would be no marriage
she came loafng around 10 do her
duty. Farmer Smith and his daughter
were IN the village one day -buyinr
calico and brown sugar when Zabcd
Winters appeared. lie had eggs 10 sell
for hickory shifting. The lovers were
brought face TO face. but they didn't
speak. They thought Of frogs and 81
Vitus' dance and six toed feet and
were turning away when Father
Smith reached out one hand for his
daughter and the other for Zabed and
said.
Say. arc Won two col durnei idiotsY"
uni" replied Prudence.
I'm" replied Zabcd.
IF ron wasn't" you'd come along
with me 20 the preacher and git mar
rled and hoy this tarnashun thing set.
tied 20 once and fur good and an
Prudence looked nj Zabed.
Zabed looked at Prudence.
Then they smiled and edged up near.
pr each other, ana N how htsr Snsy
6sS fhaA and vfA