The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1918-07-26
Prudence and
Zobed.
Observation-Disclosures
BY NJ. QUAD. ;.

copyright. 1909. by T. c. Ncclural
! prudence. Smith and Zabed Winter
met at spelling school and were I'm
pressed with each other. Zabed wouk
have married her IL the Widow Pen
rose hadn't mixed In. She wanted thu
41oung, sfaan for herself. and In awe
some whispers she impaired the infor
Snafi6n that Prudence Smith wa
[kncckkneed and would never be abb
to stand st washtub or run up and
down the cellar stairs. The young mar
was at once impressed. He ceased t.
spark Prudence on Sunday nights and
assure her that be longed to jump
over precipices for her sake. and O,
course she resented IL. She went about
with her chin in the air and asked fol
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 hin
right. The widow had lied. Zabed
made II 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 a shake and said:
'Zabed. gol durn your buttons, you're
gittin' the real thing. and you ortes
be the happiest man in Woodchucl
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 ahou,
Zabed. When be had sworn her to the
most awful secrecy he confessed that
the young man had live frog In bis
stomach and would probably go mad
within two years and cut the throat OF
his wife IL 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 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
stomachf 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 fol-
or vfllQ M a.
one came. Then a lightning rod man
stayed overnight at Smiths, and after
supper he got to talking about froga
Seeing he was posted on the subj0r
Prudence made bold to ask him II he
had ever heard Of a frog taking up, in
side quarters. and he answered tina,
such a thing was absolutely impossi
BILE and beyond belief. Zahed WSntess
had probably swallowed q small fat
and the fish might be growing, but u
left alone he could I'm time be flshed
for and caught. That settied6the frog
question, and Zabed was Invited tc
come around and make up, he. got Z
hustle on him, and the turtIedoves
sang soft and low, a new date was ap
pointed, and Farmer Smith stopped
chopping wood long enough to extend
Z hand and say:
"Zabed, you gol burned idioS dom
you know when you've got . good
thingf Don't fool around any more"
Zabed didn't want to, but before 1,
had been decided which ministe,
rhnuld p,orry thov, oId Sfre C,uAo,
struck his trail. She was too old tC
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
She told him right straight out thai
Prudence Smith snored like a steam
engine, that she had six toes on bel
right foot and only four on her left
that she had had ST Nitus' dance wher
q baby and that 1t was sure TO come
back on her some day. 1t might not bs
q year after marriage that Zabe6
would come up from the cOrnflelt
some afternoon and find her dancing
al around the dooryard and kicking a
high as a fence. That settled Zabed
He wanted Prudence. but he didn't
want dancing dsrYfsh. More cold
ness. more strained relations. liz was q
full year before old Mrs. Snyder vas
proved liar, and IL took three month
longer to make up and set another
date. Things had rP smoothly (,
within a fortnight Of the date when q
tin peddler came along and bought 9
sheepskin OF Zabed and then told him
that Prudence Smith was deaf In the
right ear, hearsighted In both eyes and
would be tongue tied before she was
two years older. Zabed hadn't noticed
the deafness or blindness, but be be
l.eved In Tin peddlers and at once grew
frigid. Result, another year lost
Fate was still irAthe game. however
and When everybody. including tn,
two principals, had made up theil
minds that there would Dc no marriage
she came loafng around TO do he,
duty. Farmer Smith ani bis daughter
were In the village ore day buyin1
calico and brown sugar when Zabec
Winters appeared lie had eggs 20 sell
for hickory shifting. The lovers were
brought face to face. but they didnr