The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1912-05-17
Prudence and
Zobed.
BY M. QUAD.
o+o+o+o+oAo+o+o+o+

copyright 1863. by T. c. McClure.l
Prudence Smith and Zabed Winters
met at spelling school and were Inn
pressed with each other. Zabed would
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 was
knockllneed and would never be able
TO stand at a 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, and OF
course she resented T. She went about
with her chin In the air and asked for
no explanations. and so relations were
strained for many long months. Then
Zabeds mother found out what was
the matter with him and set him
right. The widow had lied. Zabed
made 1t 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 shake and said:
"Zabed, gol durn your buttons, you're
gfttins the real thing, and you orter
be the happiest man in Woodchuck
codnty:'
Zabed was for about two weeks.
Then Deacon Gray. who was a widow
er anu 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
bis wife If he had one. The frog had
Jumped down Zabed,s throat one day
when be was drinking from the horse
pond. end. though thousands Of IN
ducemants had been held out to him,
nothing could prevail upon HIN to
Jump out.
Well. where is the young girl, no
matter how her heart turks with love,
who IS going to marry a 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,
and he went about with his chin In
the air and was too proud to ask for
an explanation. 1t was a year before
ono came. Then 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 If be
had ever heard of frog taking up In
side quarters, and he answered that
such a thing was absolutely .impessi-
BILE and beyond belief. ZabedsWfptegs
had probably swallowed small hsh
and the fish might be growing, but &
left alone he could In time be 6shed
for and caught. That settled the frog
question, and Zabed was invited b
come around and make up. He got q
hustle on. him, and the turtledoves
sang soft and low, new date was APP
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 4 good
thing? Don't fool around any more.-
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 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.
Che told him right straight out that
Prudence Smith snored like steam
engine, that she had six toes on her
right foot and only four on her left.
that she had had ST Vitus dance when
baby and that 1t was sure to come
back on her some day. 1t might not be
d year after marriage that Zabed
would come up from the cornfeld
some afternoon and find her dancing
all around the dooryard and kicking as
high as fence. That settled Ze bed.
He wanted Prudence, but he didn't
want a dancing dervish. More cold
ness. more strained relations. 1t was
full year 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
tin peddler came along and bought q
sheepskin OF Zabed and then told him
that Prudence Smith was deaf In the