The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1912-12-06

TuCeG &c end
ZCbco..
BY ri. QUAD.
Observation-Disclosures.

Prudence Smith aud Zabed Winters
met at spelling school and were inn
pressed with each other. Zabed would
have married her il 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 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 10 |
spark Prudence on Sunday nights and |
assure her that he longed to jump |
over precipices fer 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
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, a new
date was set for the marriage, and
Farmer Smith reached out his horny
hand for n shake and said:
"Zabed, col 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 widow
or 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 a live frog in his
stomach and would probably 60 mad
within two years and cut the throat or
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 or IN
lducements had been held out to him,
nothing could prevail upon him tc
jump out.
Well, where Is the young girl, no
matter how her heart turks with love,
who IS going to marry 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 off on Zabed Winters
and he went about with his chin IN
the air and was too psoud TO ask for
an explanation. 1t was a year before
one came. Then q lightning rod man
: stayed overnight at Smiths, and after
supper he got TO talking about frogs
Seeing he was posted on the subje :
Prudence made. bold to ask him IL he
q had ever heard of frog taking up In
= side ounrters. and he answered thai
:. such n thing was absolutely fmpoSSl
!, bio and beyond belief. Zabed> Winters
a had probably swallowed a small flo
U and the fish might be growing, b,t !
J left alone he could In time be fshc'
/ for and caught. Tint settled tho frol
[, question. and znbed was Invited q
4 come around and make up. Hc got
- hustle on him, and the turuedovc
:. sang soft aud low. new date was nI
!, pointed, and Farmer Smith etoppe
chopping weed long enough TO extern
y n hand and fAy;
F. "Zahcd, you gol burned IDIOT don
d YOU know when you've cot goo
y thing? Don't fool around any more
l. Zabcd didn't want 90, but before
II had been decided which mlniste
should mnrry them old Mrs. SnydC
:. struck his trail She was too old
marry, but not too old to utter n warn
Ing for the benefit IL a young ma
who had put In n dny hoelng her G0
den and refused 60 take lay Tor
She told him RICH, straight ON thu
hs Prudence Saith srorgd like S'ca
engine. that she had six toes on Ia
right foot ard only fox On her IL
10 that she had Ind ST Nlrs dance wh'
" baby ard that II Wgs *nre TO cor
bacl; on her some day. Il might not
- n year after marriage that Lab'
would come up from tAe cornuo
: some afternoon and find her dancE
; NIL around the Goory0rd and kicking
high as n fence That settled Zabe
He wanted Prudence. but he didI
II want dancing dcvlsh More col
II ness. more strained relations. IL was
III full year before cd Mrs Snyder "
| proved n liar. and II took three mont
I LONGER to make up and set anoth
II date. Things had run smoothly
within n fortnight of the date when
tin peddler came along aud bought
shecpskin e Zabed ard thento h
Z that Prudence Smith was deaf In
a right car, nearSirhtcd in both eyes n
u would be tongue tied before she "
two years elder. Iabed hadn't motto
the deafness or badness, but he
lievcd In TIN pcddlors and at once gr
{ Il fririd Result. another year lost
Fate was still in the game, howev
ard when everybody, including
y 70 two principals, had made up tn
MINDS that there would be no marri'
she came loaiing around to do
-. duty Farmer Smith ard his daugh
Sy<Fycre In the village one day buy
calico and brown sugar when "a
Winters appeared. lie had eggs to
IT. for hickory shirtin@ The lovers W