The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1911-09-29
Prudence and
Zobed.


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 was
knockkneed and would never be able
TO stand at washtub or run up and
down the cellar stairs. The young man
was at once impressed. He ceased To
spark Prudence on Sunday nights and
assure her that he longed TO jump
over precipices for her sake, ana If
course she resented IL. She went about
with her chin in the air and asked for
no explanations, and so relations were
strained for many long months. Then
Zabed's mother found out what was
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. 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 In Woodchuck
county"
Zabed was for about two weeks.
Then Deacon Gray. who was a widow
er and wanted Prudence for bis second
wife. gave up some information about
Zabed. When ne had sworn her 20 the
most awful secrecy be confessed that
the. young man had n live frog IN his
stomach and would probably 20 mad
within two years and cut the throat Of
bis wife n ho had one. The fyos had
Jumped down Zabed's throat one day
when be was drinking from the hofss
pond. and. though thousands OF In
ducaments had been held out TO, him,
nothing could prevail upon him to
Jump out
We'll where Is the young giri, no
matter bow her heart turks ytfhs>Dve
who Is going to marry a.young man
with I've and growing frog In shis
etomachf She can't be found She
wasn't found in this casa Pruhsnss
emtth cooled OF on FAXED WiYfers.
and he. went nboue with his chin An
the air ana was too proud TO ask Cor
an explanation Isswas s,ye>y nsfer~
one came. Then fieAtuine erod fn1an
stayed overnight ct '6mithaA, andfafxsg
supper he got 70 tanning rabouts ffogA
Seeing he was pqsteds on ,stfbjv Z.
Prudence made bold TO, Task him r. he
had ever hand Of q frog taking up- An
side quarters. :a6d hs answered that
eoch Q thing va ansoiutely Simpossi-
b. and beyond .bel3ef ZabsdsWipssfs
I'D. probably ssal,swed -suialisdsh
ana the. nsh, mighr' Be EroM&1A shutsi1
ls1s alone b ceuaA q t1ns ~ dsAsd
Zoe and cauehfs That ,sstfisd the frp0
QUESTION. ana zAped was Invited. %
cpme srodnd and ElakS up He Ss<la
hnscs on him, aDd Tia tugtndlNel
sang. sofs and iov. . new date wan,ap'
po1ktsd. and -Fssmer Smith stppvPd
eAnVping wood isag ssnooen % eSt4nd
hand and sag:
~zsbed, you col durned IDIOT DON'T
you know when you've got good
thingf Don't fool around any mora"
zabed didn't want to, but before Il
had been decided which minister
should marry them old Mrs. Snyder
struck his TRAN. She was too old to
marry, but not too old to utter a warn
int for the benefit Of a young man
who had put IN q day. hoeing her gar
den and reftised.to take pay for II
She told him right straight out tina,
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 ST. vitus' dance when
o baby and that II was sure to coma
BACK on her some day. II might not be
. year after marriage that Zabed
would come up from The cornneid
some afternoon ana fi,d b. dspciny
I'll around the dooryard and kicking ~
high as fence. That settled Zabed
He wanted Prudence. but be didn't
want O dancing dervish- Moro cold.
ness. more strained relations. II was q
full year before old Mrs. Snyder was
proved liar, and 1t took three months
longer TO make UP and Get another
DATE. Things had run smoothly Il
within fortnight OF the date when q
tin peddler came, along and bought O
sheepslrin Of Zabed and then tod him
that. Prudence smith was dealt the
right ear. nearsighted 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
neved In TN peddlers and at once grew
frigid. Result another year lost
Fate was stfll In the game, however
and when everybody. Including the
two principals. had made up Their
minds tAatthere would bs no marriage
she came loaflng around to do her
duty. Farmer Smith and bis dsughtss
were In tho village ono day buying
eeaico ana brown sugar whsn sZabsd
Winters appeared. He had eggs tsuell
M hickory shirtinR. The lovcn saaEs
brought face to face, but thsy dion't
speak. They thought OF frogs ana o.
Vtnas'. dance and sir toed feet 90
we're turning away when Fsthsr
Hmifh reached out one hand for ~
0mwwhfqr md fha ~ hor fcx Zrt1~.A a u