{"id":7155,"date":"2014-05-09T16:15:20","date_gmt":"2014-05-09T20:15:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=7155"},"modified":"2026-07-22T12:37:04","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T16:37:04","slug":"prudence-and-the-frog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=7155","title":{"rendered":"Prudence and the Frog (by JoaniePaiute)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0<\/span>What girl wouldn’t be distracted by Adam Cartwright’s presence in church?\u00a0 Shy, reserved Prudence Dane is no exception.\u00a0 Enter little Bobby, a baby frog, and…well, the devil makes her do it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rated:<\/span>\u00a0K \u00a01250 words<\/span><\/p>\n

Prudence and the Frog<\/strong><\/p>\n

By JoaniePaiute<\/p>\n

Prudence Dane gazed wistfully after seventeen-year-old Adam Cartwright. \u00a0She wasn\u2019t the only one. \u00a0An entire cluster of young ladies was gathered near her, their eyes following him like stray puppies after a little boy. \u00a0However, Prudence was the only one standing with her parents instead of friends.\u00a0 She knew the other girls didn\u2019t exactly dislike her, but she also knew they considered her aloof.<\/p>\n

The church bell rang, calling them inside. \u00a0With a collective sigh, the other girls joined their own parents and swept in. \u00a0A few waited for beaus to join them, but of course a young man was expected to come to a young lady, not the other way around\u2014and then only with her parents\u2019 approval.<\/p>\n

With a barely audible sigh, Prudence followed Mother and Father into the church. \u00a0Father stepped back to usher them into the pew. \u00a0As luck would have it, he led them into the one directly behind the Cartwrights. \u00a0She knew she wouldn\u2019t be able to concentrate on the sermon\u2014not a good thing, since Father would undoubtedly quiz her on it later.<\/p>\n

Usually she sat between Father and Mother. \u00a0For some reason, Mother let Prudence go first today, so she was on the end of the pew\u2026directly behind young Adam. \u00a0His black hair gleamed like wet paint, right in her line of vision, blocking her view of the pulpit. \u00a0She sighed again, more loudly this time, and earned herself a sharp glance from Mother.<\/p>\n

They stood to sing the opening hymn, \u201cPrecious Lord, Take My Hand.\u201d \u00a0To her horror, Prudence realized she was mentally replacing the words \u201cprecious Lord\u201d with \u201cAdam dear.\u201d \u00a0Such sacrilege!<\/p>\n

Not to mention foolishness. \u00a0Adam Cartwright, quite simply, had never noticed her. \u00a0Oh, he was polite, always tipping his hat to her on the street, but he was that way to everyone. \u00a0The minister\u2019s wife. \u00a0The Widow Hawkins. \u00a0The mercantile proprietor, who wasn\u2019t even female.<\/p>\n

She wished she were sitting in front of him, not behind. \u00a0There, he not only wouldn\u2019t distract her from the sermon, but she could be enjoying his sweet baritone voice.<\/p>\n

On second thought, that would probably be worsening her agony.<\/p>\n

The hymn ended, and the congregation took their seats. \u00a0The announcements dragged on, at last giving way to the reading of Holy Scripture. \u00a0Prudence tried to concentrate. \u00a0Really, she did. \u00a0But she kept forming descriptions of Adam’s hair in her mind: \u00a0black as leather gleaming in the firelight, black as a tar pit under a full moon (even though she\u2019d never seen a tar pit), black as the hat she knew was lying in his lap.<\/p>\n

After the scripture reading, they bowed their heads for prayer. \u00a0It was a long prayer. \u00a0It was always a long prayer. \u00a0Today, it was interminable.<\/p>\n

A tap on her shoulder was a welcome distraction. \u00a0With a quick glance at Mother, whose eyes were closed reverently, she dared a look over her shoulder. \u00a0Little Bobby Martin, six years old, was leaning forward, grinning mischievously. \u00a0She liked Bobby; she liked all children, but he was special. \u00a0Full of what her parents would call wickedness\u2014but what she sensed was just irrepressible little-boyness.<\/p>\n

He reached over the pew and opened his hand so she could see the tiny frog he held there. \u00a0It was just a baby, no more than an inch long. \u00a0Bobby knew that Prudence wasn\u2019t afraid of frogs, worms, or even garter snakes. \u00a0She had admired his \u201cpets\u201d many times. \u00a0Now, with a cautious glance toward Mother, whose eyes were still closed in prayer, Prudence held her hand, palm up, toward Bobby.\u00a0 Quick as a flash, he dropped Froggy into her hand.<\/p>\n

Good heavens<\/em>, she thought. \u00a0First the hymn, now this. \u00a0What had gotten into her this morning?<\/p>\n

Well, as long as she kept her hand closed\u2014with the fingers slightly parted, of course, so Froggy could breathe\u2014no one would notice. \u00a0She hoped. \u00a0Shutting her eyes tightly, she said her first actual prayer of the morning.<\/p>\n

But although her prayer was fervent, the minister\u2019s prayer was longer. \u00a0Long enough for her to shift restlessly, causing Mother to open one eye and turn it sternly in her direction. \u00a0She sat still again, and the eye closed once more.<\/p>\n

Desperately, she looked around for a diversion, and found it in the nape of Adam\u2019s neck as his head was bowed in prayer. \u00a0Oh, Lord<\/em>, she thought, completely absorbed by the smooth skin above his collar, the velvety-looking hairs that lay there\u2026and suddenly the wickedness that had threatened all morning to overtake her did so. \u00a0Later, she would think,\u00a0The devil surely possessed me<\/em>. \u00a0In fact, that would be her defense to Father.\u00a0\u00a0The devil\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

Her hand reached out of its own accord and dropped Froggy down the back of Adam\u2019s shirt.<\/p>\n

Horrified, she watched as he stiffened. \u00a0Wiggled. \u00a0Squirmed. \u00a0Bent forward, reached a hand around to his back, accidentally elbowing his father, who sat beside him. \u00a0Ben Cartwright gave his son a fierce scowl that made Prudence shiver. \u00a0Undeterred, Adam gave a little yelp and stood up.\u00a0 Several people opened their eyes and looked his way.<\/p>\n

As he twisted around, trying to reach the creepy-crawly\u00a0thing<\/em>\u00a0that was back there, she saw panic in his eyes. \u00a0A mixture of remorse, pity, and a little panic of her own overtook her, and she stood as well, reaching toward Adam.\u00a0 She felt her mother\u2019s hand on her arm, and for the first time in her life, she shook her off.<\/p>\n

Truly, Father<\/em>, she would say later,\u00a0the devil made me do it<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Leaning over the pew, she snatched Adam\u2019s shirt and yanked it out of his trousers. \u00a0She shook the shirt hem so hard the cloth gave an audible snap. \u00a0Froggy tumbled to the pew seat, and she reached down and scooped him up. \u00a0Somehow, she had the presence of mind to stop herself from turning and handing him back to Bobby. \u00a0No sense in getting the boy in trouble, too.<\/p>\n

The minister had stopped praying. \u00a0Silence filled the church, so heavy it pressed on her heart and made it stop in midbeat. \u00a0Openmouthed, Adam stared at her.<\/p>\n

Everyone<\/em>\u00a0was staring at her. \u00a0A deep flush started in her neck and traveled up to the roots of her hair.<\/p>\n

A series of emotions crossed Adam\u2019s face: shock, disbelief, anger, and finally\u2014no, that was impossible\u2014 amusement. \u00a0And interest. \u00a0Dear Lord in heaven<\/em>. \u00a0Interest? \u00a0No. \u00a0Yes. \u00a0No.<\/p>\n

She collapsed as much as sat.<\/p>\n

With a slow, lopsided smile, he turned back toward the front and sat as well. \u00a0She noticed that he glanced down at his pew first\u2014probably to see if she had deposited a mouse or a snake there.<\/p>\n

Truly, Father<\/em>, she was saying later that day, when they were interrupted by a knock at the door. \u00a0Father gave her a look that clearly said,\u00a0We will finish this later<\/em>, and went to answer it.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood afternoon, Mr. Dane,\u201d came Adam Cartwright\u2019s voice. \u00a0\u201cI wonder if I might have the honor of calling on your daughter.\u201d<\/p>\n

Prudence\u00a0<\/strong>smiled. \u00a0Lord bless you, little Bobby<\/em>, she thought. \u00a0Whatever the consequences, it had been worth it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0What girl wouldn’t be distracted by Adam Cartwright’s presence in church?\u00a0 Shy, reserved Prudence Dane is no exception.\u00a0 Enter little Bobby, a baby frog, and…well, the devil makes her do it.<\/p>\n

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