The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1919-01-24
Prudence and
Zobed.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES


AeutAec cAAAAh hIO L@aDtQ w 4uteru
met at spelling school and were i'm
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 was
knockkneed and would never be able
TO stand at a washtub or run up and
down the cellar stairs. The young man
was at once impressed. lie ceased 10
spark Prudence on Sunday nights and
assure her that he longed TO Jump
over precipices for her sake. and Of
course she resented Il 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 II up with the girl The doves
came back again and turtied, a new
date was set for the marriage. and
Farmer Smith reached out his horny
hand for a shake and said:
"zabed. col durn your buttons. you're
gittin' the real thing and you orter
be the happiest man IN woodchuok
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 10 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 II he 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 20
jump out
Well. where is the young girl DO
matter how her heart turks with love.
who Is going 10 marry a Young man
with n live and growing frog IN his
stomach? She can't be found. She
wasn't found in this case. Prudence
Smith cooled OF on Zabed Winters.
and he went about with his chin IN
the air and was TOO proud 10 ask for
an explanation. II was a year before
one came. Then a lightning rod man
stayed overnight AT Smiths. and after
supper be got 10 talking about frogs
Seeing he was posted on the subjer-
Prudence made bold 10 ask him n be
had ever heard OF frog taking up IN
side quarters, and he answered that
such a thing was absolutely impossi-
BILE and beyond belief. Zabed winters
had probably swallowed a small hah
and the fish might be growing, but q
left alone he could In time be nshed
for and caught That settled, the frog
question. and Zabed was Invited to
come around and make up.-SHe got Q
hustle on him. and the turthdoves
sang soft and low. a new date was ap
pointed. and Farmer Smith stopped
ehopping wood long enough TO extend
Q hand and say:
-Zabed, you gol burned IDIOT don't
you know when you've got q good
thingf 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 TRAN. She was too old 10
marry, but not too old 10 utter a warn
a. o.
who had put In a day hoeins her gar
Zen and refused 10 take my for r.
She told him right ST. iglt out that
Prudence Smith snorei Ike a steam
engine that she had rs toes on her
right foot and only four on her left.
q baby and that II was sure 10 come
back on her some day II mi-ht not lie
q year after marriage that Zabed
would come up from the cornfeld
some afternoon and find her dancing
all around the dooryard ara 81 King as
high as a fence. That SERTED Zabed
He wanted Prudence but be didn't
want a dancing dervish. More cold
ness. more strained relations. II was a
full year before old Mrs. Snyder was
proved a liar. and II took three months
longer 10 make up and set another
date. Things had run smoothly "a
within a fortnight Of the date when a
tin peddlcr came along and bought a
sheepskin ~ Zabed and then told him
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
rieved in tin peddlers and az once grew
frigid. Result. another year lost
Fate was still irNfhe game. however
and when everybody. including the
two principals. had made up their
minds that there would be no marriage
she came loafing around 10 do her
duty. Farmer Smith and bis daurh,ei
were IN the village one day buyin
calico and brown sugar when Zabe'
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