The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1919-03-28
Prudence and
Zobed.

BY M. QUAD.

Ne ~ ebeAHs SCHOOL and were T.,
pressed with each other. Zabcd woru
have married her II the Widow y.
rose hadn't mixed In. She wanted ~.
young man for herself. and IN a.
some whispers she impaired the lp,,.
nation that Prudence Smith ~.
knockkneed and would never be AZ.
to stand at n washtub or run nm -.
down the cellar stairs. The young r,-
was at once impressed. He ceased !,
spark Prudence on Sunday nights Ana
assure her that he longed TO INN,
over precipices for her sake. ana !.
course she resented II She went ahor.
With her chin In the air and asked q.
no explanations. and so relations ws,,
strained for many long months IT,,
Zabed's mother found out what "a,
the matter with him and set y,
right. The widow had lied Zab.s
made II up with the girl. The dove,
came back again and turtled e new
date was set for the marriage ana
Farmer Smith reached out his born,
hand for shake and said:
"Zabed, gol durn your buttons. your,
gittin' the real thing. and you ors,
be the happiest man ia woodchucs
county"
Zabed was for about two ween
Then Deacon Gray. who was widow.
er and wanted Prudence for his second
wife. gave up some Information abou,
Zabed. When he had sworn her 10 ths
most awful secrecy he confessed tha,
the young man had live frog IN bis
stomach and would probably 20 mad
within two years and cut the throat Of
bis wife II he had one. The frog had
jumped down Zabeds throat one dav
when he was drinking from the horse
pond. and. though thousands OF m.
ducements had been held out TO hin
nothing could prevail upon him %
| jump out.
Well. where is the young gi. 70
matter how her heart turks with lore.
who IS going 10 marry a young nan
with a live and growing frog 10 hs
stomach? She can't be found Sic
wasn't found In this case. prudsu.s
Smith cooled of on Zabed Winters.
and he went about with his chin d
the air and was too proud to ask n
an explanation. IL was a year be,r
one came. Then a lightning rod -n
stayed overnight at Smiths. and ata
supper he got TO TALKING about frOgs
Seeing he was posted on the subjs :.
Prudence made bold 10 ask him II n.
had ever heard Of frog taking up In
side quarters, and he answered that
such a thing was absolutely impossl.
bic and beyond belief. Zabed Wnten
had probably swallowed a small hf
and the fish might be growing. but
left alone he could In time BE- nshed
for and caught That settled the frOg
question, and Zabed was Invited 70
come around and make up.yHe got 4
hustle on him. and the turthdoves
sang soft and low. a new date was ar
pointed. and Farmer Smith stopped
chopping wood long enough to extend
q hand and say:
"Zabed, you gol burned IDIOT don't
you know when you've got Q rood
thingr Don't fool around any mor.-
Zabed didn't want to. but before q
had been decided which minlsig
should marry them old Mrs. Snyder
struck his TRAN. She was too old TO
marry, but not too old 10 utter wsrS-
Ing for the benefit Of n young mls
who had put in day hoeinc her -
den and refused 10 take ray ~
She told him right straight our iiH
Prudence Smith snored like sean
engine. that she had six toes ~ ts
right foot and only four on her ldl
that she had Ind st vitus' dance wien
Q baby erd that II was sure 70 cone
back on her some day II mi.bf not y
q year after marriage that Zabed
would come up from the cornheo
some afternoon and find her dancing
all around the dooryard and Kicking
high as a fence That settled Ia'Hl
He wanted Prudence. but be dAA !
want n dancing dsrvish. More co''
ness. more strained relations. u was'
full year before old Mrs. Snyder v"
proved n liar. and II took three months
longer TO make up and set ano'ne
date. Things had run smoothly
within n fortnight Of the date wnen
tin peddler came along and oough9
sheepskIn Of Zabcd and then told u"
that Prudence Smith was deaf N W
right ear. nearslchted in both eyes auu
would be tongue tied before she w,
two years older Zabed hadn't noticeN
the deafness or blindness. but ne pe
lieved in tin peddlers and NJ once s
frIcid. Result. another year 'oS-
Fate was stll in.the game. noNe' -
"a - everybody. Including 70,
two nr,,~ ,pals had made up tnen
m,nss ,hst here would be no marria ~
s,a csme loahng around TO 90 neI
du,x Farmer smith and his daugn.e,
80 IN the village one day ouylu.
..,,.a and brown sugar when laOeu
winters opreared lie had eggs % Sc.
,or b,ckory shirting The lovers We,
hrougb, face to face. but they ulus
sneak They thought Of frogs ana -
Wins, dance and SIX toed zee, a..
..u,rc a~ay when tatne'