Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1872-03-07

choice, preparatory 10 selecting the
chosen two dozen who were TO try 10
spell each other down.
IL the leader OF the "othcr side"
happened TO be rival of ours in the
suit Tor smiles from the ROSY checked
girl who apparently had no thoughts
OF anything save the apple she was
siyiy eating behind the stove. the cx-
citement was douhly great. until it was
decided that we Gust think of it y had
drawn the longest straw. and were en-
titled TO the first choice among all the
bevy of young folks that were scattered
around the school room.
How high we lifted our cowhidc
boots as we stepped off TO the corner of
the room where the line of photographic
cal battle WAS to he formed OF course
the first name called was that of our
sweetheart. though (must we say il y
she was the poorest speller in the
school. and her formation of words
would frighten the portrait of Noah
webster from the title page of his first
BOOK. But then she was the hand
soonest girl in school her checks were
as red rs n Baldwin apple, and her
curls, which had been claboratcIy
twisted around hot poker were natur-
al and besides that. she had agreed To
~ home from all the singing schools
for month ahead with Us and when
We had \ stoIe-bruise on our heel il,
summer who but she could tie rag SO
tenderly around the spot. SO. we re-
peat. we chose her at once, aud while
she was tripping TO her place TT our
side the other leader, as if to SEX re-
vengc and pay court TO Mars Instead
OF Venus, selects for his first choice the
very best scholar in school. a giri. who,
though homciy as Barnum's What l.
1t, could go through the spelling book
Ike lightning, and was as much nj
home among words of seven syllablcs
as those Of two. Then the work com.
menccd. and the quota of spelling was
soon filled, though We must confes,
that our minds became slightly con
fused while holding our girls hand
and choosing, at the same time. aud our
side was weak, mentally, compared
with that of Bill Jones.
TIE BATTLE.
Alter order WAS restored among the
scholars. and those who were uoi in the
Iists hat brought their angry feelings
under subJcciIon. ''Old Jacket Duster."
q, we termed our teacher, would pull
out dogs cared copy of "Web.ter',
Elementary, whose fly-lcayes had long
since asccndcd hcavenward in the shape
si 'spit-bsll.. and in voice aboat three,
keys higher that hi- ordinary tone, pro
cccd I'd put cut tile words alternately
Ia the two sides. The contest waxed
warmer, and down went all the .su.ll
irv on the more simple words. We
were only allowed cue trial. and TN,
man who hcsitated was irr.vocably lost,
until NJ last but half dozen were lett
o~ our si'se Our girl had come near
going down on the word coffee. (shr
ALWAYS commenced ii with M but
we had Set her Alright in a whisper.
though Bill Jones saw the prompting
aud would have informed the teacher.
u
sumner in the shape OF 'phthisic. which
occupied his mind 10 the exclusion of
all else. but which he would have mas
tered had not wad of chcwed paper
struck him a that instant in The mouth,
and 30 affected his uttcrance as to lead
the master To think that he had omitted
one IA, aud lac ,at down swearing. and
we had the satisfaction OF seeing hi-
ears slapped with piece OF rubber for
his profanity. There were now five on
the other side and six Oh ours, when the
teacher Of the other school took the floor.
and We saw that there wa, blood in hi-
eyes the moment he said, we VIII now
proceed Ia spell the Bible proper names.
This exercise soon ihinncd our ranks
Four OF the enemy aud one ofour forces
went down at one shot, on 'Nebuchad-
nezzar.' Oar girl let 20 OF our hand
and wilted on Pharaoh ere we could
inform her whether it. commenced with
- or p, and finally We kuecled over
the simple word Isaac, and the cham
piOn was small boy OF ten years. who
was named alter the son OF Abraham,
aud the only word which he could spell
| was that with which he had won the
| day