Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-05-08
Smelling IOuaS.


One little anecdote about Memoru:
Wordville before we let him go, and the
long chapter shall be no longer. 1t hap
pened one day that the .cut and split fol
the fire fell lshort, and Jonas Patch was our
welding the axe in school-time. He had
been at work about half an hour, whe1
Memorus who was perceived to have lest
to do than the rest, was sent to take his
place. He was about ten years old, and
four years yonger than Jonas.
'Memorus, you may go out and spell
Jonas
Our hero did not think Of the Yanket
sense IN which the master used the wore
spelt-indced, he never attached but one
meaning to it, whenever it was attached
to himself. So he put his spelling-booE
under his arm, and was out at the wood
pile with the speed Of a boy rushing tc
play.
'Yegot your spellin' lesson, Jonas ? was
the first salutation.
Haven't look at it yet was the reply
Imean to cut up this plaguy great log
spellin' or no spellin', before go in. l hac
as live keep warm here chopin wood as
| freeze up there III that tarnal cold bach
seat
We'll, the master sent me out here tc
hear you spell.
Did he Well, put out the words, ant
I'll SPELL
Memorus being so distinguished as ;
speler, Jonas did not doubt that he wa.
really sent on his errand. SO our deputy
spelling master mounted the top ofthe
wood-pilc, Just in front Of Jonas, to put
out words to his temporary pupil, who still
kept on putting out chips.
do you know where the lesson begins
Jonas?'
No, don't; but 'spos shall find out
now
We'll, here us They both belong to
the class
Spell abomination.' Jonas spelled "a
b-o-m, a-bom in the mean time up goes
the axe high in the air,) i-abomi (down it
goes again chuck into the wood n-a-na,
abomina (up it goes again) t-i-o-n, abomi-
nation; chuck the axe goes again, and at
the same time out flies a furious chip,
and hits Memorus on the nose. At this
moment the master appeared just at the
corner ofthe school-house with one foot on
the threshold,
Jonas, why don't you come in Dinnt
| send Memorus out to spell youP
yes, sir, and he has being spellin' me
how could | come in if he spolt me out
here y
At this the masters eye caught Memo
rus perched upon the top stick with his
book open upon his lap, rubbing his nose,
and just in the act of putting out the next
word in the column.
Accommodation, pronounced Memo
rus in broken but louder voice than be-
fore for he had caught glimpse Of the
master, and he wished to let him know
that he was doing his duty.
This was too much for the master S
gravity. He perceived the mistake, and
without saying more, wheeled back into
the school-room, almost bursting with the
most tumultuous laugh he ever tried to
suppress. The scholars wondered at lis
looks and grinned in sympathy. But in a
few minutes Jonas came in, followed by
Memorus with his spelling-book who ex-
claimed
Il have heard him spell clean through
the whole lesson, and he didn't spell hard
ly one of 'em right The master could
hold in no longer the scholars perceived
the blunder, and there was one simultane-
Gus roar from pedagugue and pupils; the
scholars laughing twice as loud and up
roariously, in consequence of being per-
mittcd to laugh in school-time, and to the
accompaniment Of the mastcr.-.From tile
District .School as 1t acds.