The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1918-01-25
Prudence and
Zobed.
BY RI. QUAD.

h1cI 1t sptuluS eGuOOl anu were llQ'
pressed with each other. Zaoed would
have married 1er 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 a washtub or run up and
down the cellar stairs. The young1man
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 witt 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 reachedS 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 fer about two weeks.
Then Deacon Gray, who was widow
er 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 90 mad
within two years and cut the throat Of
his wife If be had one. The frog had
jumped down Zabed's throat one day
when he was drinking from the horse
pond. and, though thousands of In.
ducements had been held out TO him.
nothing could prevail upon him to
jump out.
Well, where Is the young girl, no
matter how her heart turks with love,
who Is going TO marry young man
with q 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. It was q year before
one came Then a lightning rod man
stayed overnight at Smiths, and after
supper he got TO taking about frogs.
Seeing he was posted on the subje :.
Prudence made bold to ask him If he
had ever heard of frog taking up in
side quarters, and he answered that
such thing was absolutely impossi-
bic and beyond belief. Zabed Winters
had probably swallowed a small fish
and the fish might be growing, but Il
left alone he could In time be fished
for and caught. That settled the frog
question, and Zabed was Invited to
come around and make up.yHe got
hustle on him, and the turtltdoves
sang soft and low. new date was ap-
pointed, and Farmer Smith stopped
chopping wood long enough to extend
a hand and say:
"zabed yOukgol burned idiot don't
yOu know when you've got 8 rocG
hing? 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 TO
marry, but not too old TO utter warn
ne for the benefit OF n young man
who had PIT in a day hoeiug her gar
len and refus, / 10 take pay for It.
She told him right straight out that
Prudence Smith snored like n steam
engine, that she had six toes on her
light foot and only four on her left.
hat she had had ST Vitus dance when
! baby ard that It was sure TO come
Jack on her some dav 1t mieht not be
year after marriage that Zabed
would come up from the cornfich
ONE afternoon and find her dancing
II around the dOoryard ard Kicking Is
Ugh IS 4 fence. That settled Zabed. !
lie wanted Prudence. but he didn't +
vant a dancing dervish More cold |
ess, more strained relations. II was q
I'LL year before old Mrs. Snyder was
royed liar, and it took three months
onger TO make up and set another
ate Things had rR smoothly te
Tithin n fortnight Of the date when
IN peadler came along and bought
heepSkin Of Zabed and then told him
hat Prudence Smith was deaf in the
ght ear, nearsighted I'm both eyes and
'ould be tongue tied before she was
NO years older. Zabed hadn't noticed
ne deafness or blindness, but he be-
eyed In tin peddlers and at once grew
'igid. Result. another year lost !
Fate was still iINthe game. however
nd when everybody, including the
NO principals, had made up their )
inds that there would be no mmr;age
le came loafing around TO do her
lty. Farmer Smith and his daughter
ere in the village one day buying
llico and brown sugar when Zabed 5
'interS appeared. He had eggs 70 sell
II hickory Thirting. The lovers we're !
fought face TO face, but they didn't =
'eak. They thought of frogs and St
ltus' dance and six toed feet and
ere turning away when Father
NTH rea he'd out one hand for his