The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1917-04-27
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met NJ spelling school ard were im-
pressed with each other. Zabed would
have married her II 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 WIS
knockknesd and would never 10 able
10 stand m n washtub or run Up and
down the cellar stairs. The young man
was at once impressed. lie ceased TO
spark Prudence on sunday nights aud
assure her that he longed to jump
over precipices for 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 we've
strained for many long months. Then
Zabed's mother found out what was
the matter with him and set him
right The widow bad lied Zabed
made 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 lor 4 shake and said:
"Zabcd. gol durn your buttons. you're
gittin the real thing. and you orter
be the b. 1piest man in Woodchuck
county"
Zabed 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 be had sworn her TO the
most awful secrecy be 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
his wife II he had one. The frog had
jumped down 2abeds throat one day
when he was drinking from the horse
pond, and. though thousands Of In
ducements had been held out 10 him.
nothing could prevail upon him 10
jump ont.
Well, where IS the young girl. no
matter how her heart turks with love.
who Is going 70 marry young man
with n live ard growing frog I'm his
stomach? She can't be found She
wasn't found r. this case. Prudence
Smith cooled oa "a Zabed Winters.
and he went abQu; with his chin In
the air and was LOO proud TO ask for
an explanation II was a year before
one came Then a 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 70 ask him If ne
had ever heard Of a frog taking up in
side quarters. and he answered that
such a thing was absolutely impossi-
bic ard beyond belief. Zabed Winters
had probably swallowed a small fan
and the fish might be growing, but 4
left alone be could In time be nshed
for and caught That settled the frog
question. and Zabed was isvited 10
come around and make up. He got q
hustle on him, and the turuedoves
sang soft and low, n 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 good
thing? 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 10
marry, but not too old TO utter warn
Ing for the benefit OF a young man
who had put IN a day hoeing her gar
den and refused to take pay for it
She 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. yitus' dance when
q baby and that IL was sure TO come
back on her some day. II might not he
year after marria0e that Zabed
would come up from the cornfeld
some afternoon and find her dancing
ell around the dooryard and kicking as
high as 2 fence. That settled Zabed
He wanted Prudence. but he didn't
want a dancing dervish. More cold
ness. mere strained relations. II was
j full year before Old Mrs. Snyder was
proved lar. ard It took three months
+ date THINGS had run smoothly TO
within 4 fortnight Of the date when
f tin peddler came along and bought
4 sheepskin Of Zabed and then told him
1 that Prudence Smith was deaf in 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-
lieved In tin peddlers and at once grew
frlcid. Result another year lost
Fate was still IN the game, however.
and when everybody, including the
two principals. had made mp their
minds that here would be no marriage
she came loafinc around 10 do her
duty. Farmer Smith and his daughter
were IN the VILLAGE one day buying
calico aud brown SUGAR when Zabed
Nlrtc-s appeared. lie Rad eggs 20 sell
for b. kory shirfing. The lovers were
brought face 10 face. bat they didn't
speak The thouclt Of frogs ard St
Virus dance end six toCd feet and
were turning awaT when Father
feF = q.