The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1916-04-21
Prudence and
Zubed.
ny ri. QUAD.


net at spelling school and were I'M
pressed with each other. Zabed would
have married her IL the Widow ZEN
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, and OF
course she resented 1t. 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 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 q sake and said:
''Zabed, eol durn your buttons, you're
gittin' the real thing, and you orter
be the happiest man in WoodchucK
2 county"
2 Zabed was for about two weeks
Then Deacon Gray, who was widow
er and wanted Prudence for bis 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 OF
i bis wife IL he had one. The frog had
G fumped down Zabed's throat one day
= when he was drinking from the horse
g pond. and. though thousands OF In
q ducements had been held out TO him.
= nothing could prevail upon him to
jump out
Well. where Is the young girl, nc
= matter how her heart turks with love
" who is going to marry young man
s. with live and growing frog IN his
J. stomach? she can't be found. She
, wasn't found in this case. Prudence
: Smith cooled off on Zabed Winters
n and he went about with his chin III
the air and was too proud TO ask fol
an explanation. 1t was year before
one came. Then a lightning rod mar
- STAYED overnight at Smiths, and afte
supper he got to talking about frogs
Seeing he was posted on the sub1e
Prudence made bold to ask him II ~
had ever heard Of frog taking up In
, side quarters, and he answered tina
> such a thing was absolutely tmposs
iS BILE and beyond belief. Zabed Winter
Is had probably swallowed a small IN
r. and the fish might be growing, out
ly left alone he could In time be hshe
IN for and caught. That settled the fro
Re question. and Zabed was invited I
come around and make up. He got
hustle on him, and the turuedove
sang soft and low. a new date was al
pointed. and Farmer Smith sfoppe
choppfng wood long enough to exten
c. hand and say:
u "Zabed. you gol burned idiot don
. you know when you've got GOO
nd Zabed didn't want to, but before
A had been decided which minist'
should marry them old Mrs. Snyd
struck his trail. She was too old
marry. but not too old TO utter war
ing for the benefit Of a young ms
who had put in a day hoeing her ga
den and refused to take pay for
She told him right straight out tn
no Prudence Smith snored like stea
engine. that she had six toes on b
right foot and only four OF her le
old that she had had st. vitus' dance VIII
on q baby and that 1t was sure TO cor
back on her some day. 1t might not
n year after marriage that Zab
would come up from the cornfit
some afternoon and find her dailci
all around the dooryard and kicking
high as a fence. That settled Zab'
He wanted Prudence, but he did
want a dancing dervish- More co
ness. more strained relations. 1t was
ma full year before old Mrs. Snyder
proved a liar. and 1t took three mont
longer TO make up and set anotf
T. date. Things had run smoothly
r within a fortnight Of the date wher
tin peddler came along and bought
sheepskin Of Zabed and then told b
that Prudence Smith was deaf In
le" right ear. nearsighted in both eyes 2
would be tongue tied before she '
two years older. Zabed hadn't noa
,;oL the deafness or blindness. but be
100 neved In tin peddlers and at once or
i0'' frigid. Result, another year lost
Fate was still in the game. howe'
and when everybody, including
u two principals, had made up q
n or minds that there would be no marri
she came loafng around TO do
duty. Farmer Smith and his daugf
were In the village one day buy
,o calico and brown sugar when Ia
Winters appeared. He had eggs 20
for hickory shifting. The lovers W
brought face 10 face, but they DID
speak. They thought OF frogs and
obe vitus' dance and SIX toed feet
De ST were turning away when Fat
Olu Smith reached out one hand for
IS daughter and the other for Zabed