The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-02-23
Sc Spelling Down.
From the Titusville Herald.

we met slelSn lOau OF boys ana girls
the other night few miles out of the
city, on their way to "spelling match"
in the school-house of a neighboring
district, and the jingling bells and the
merry laughter of the young folks made
us forget for season that we had passed
the forenoon of life, and we joined the
happy throng in imagination, and were
back again among the scenes of years
ago, when cares were few and the great
est sorrow of our life was to be COM
PEELED to stay away from spelling or
singing school to get our boots tapped,
and know that "Bill Jones" would 60
home with our girl after the exercise of
the evening was ended.
Is there an individual living who
does not at times brush the cobwebs
away from his pictures of the past, and
revert fondly to the scenes of his
youth? If SO, let him be known,
though We do not believe in the un-
manly feeling that prompts one to look
back for all his pleasures, and see
only clouds and stormy weather in the
future.
But we commenced to talk Of spell
ing chools-t old. fashioned kind,
held in the winter evenings in our own
or neighboring school-houses. The lat
| ter, however, were looked forward to
with more pleasure, as the usual mono
| tony of the occasion was relieved by the
excitement of the meeting a foreign
| foe, and the fun of ride under the buff
falo robes to the field of contest.
How "big" we used to feel when in
solemn manner the schoolmaster would
step up on the rostrum, and after eras.
ing all traces of the days arithmetical
exercises upon the black board, that
our minds might not wander from the
evenings work, sing out in well re-
membered voice, a cross between a dea
cons and heavy tragedian's, our
name, coupled with some member of
the opposition side, as the two upon
whom fell the honor of choosing sides.
And what terrible suspense interven-
ed while the two pedagogues drew cuts
to see who should have the first choice,
preparatory to selecting the chosen two
dozen who were to try and spell each
other down
If the leader of the "other side" hap
pened to be rival Of ours in the suit
for smiles from the rosy checked girl
who apparently had no thought for
anything save the apple she was slyly
eating behind the stove, the excitement
was doubly great, until it was decided
that zoe Just think of it y had drawn
the longest straw and were entitled to
the first choice among all the bevy of
young folks that were scattered around
the school-room.
How high rye lifted our cowhide boots
as we stepped off to the corner of the
room, where the line Of autographed
battle was to be formed Of course the
first name called was that of our sweet
heart, though must we say it p she was
the poorest speller in the school, and her
formation of words would trighten the
portrait of old Noah Webster from the
title-page of his first book. But then
she was the handsomest girl in the
school her cheeks we're as red as q
Baldwin apple, and her curls, which had
been deliberately twisted around a hot
poker, were natural, and besides that,
she had agreed TO 60 home from all the
singing schools q month ahead with us,
and when we had stone bruise on our
heel in summer, who but she could tie
rag so tenderly round the spot So,
we repeat it, we chose her at once, and
while she was tripping to her place at
our side the other leader, as if to seek
revenge and pay court Of Mars instead
of Venus, selected for his first choice
) the very best scholar in school, girl
who, though homely as Barnum's
} "What is It," could go through the
) spelling book like lightning, and wa:
as much home among words of seven
J syllables as those of two. Then the work
) commenced, and the quota of spelling
was soon filled, though we much con
, TESS that our mind became slightly con
fused while holding "our girls" hand
and choosing at the same time, and ou
: side was weak, mentally, compared will
} that of Bill Jones.
, After order was obtained among tn,
, scholars, and those who were not in tn
list had brought their angry feeling
, under subsection, "Old Jacket Buster,
as we termed our teacher, would pull on
a dog scared copy of "Webster's Ele
: mentary," whose fy-leaves had lon,
since assembled heavenward in the form
OF "spit balls" and in voice abou
, three keys higher than his ordinar,
tone, proceeded to put out" the word
> alternately to the two sides. The con
l test waxed warmer, and down went al
3 the "small fry' on the more simpl
e words. We were only allowed one trial
and the man who hesitated was irrevo
3 cably lost until at last only half dozel
e were left on a side. "Our girl' hat
e come near going down on the word eco
9 fee" she always commenced with
/ "K" but we had set her right in viii:
: per, though Bill Jones saw the promp,
0 ing, and would have informed tn
r teacher had he not at that moment r.
q ceived sumner in the shape {
q "phthisic," which occupied his mind t
$ the exclusion of all else, but which h
,, would have mastered had not wa
,, Of chewed paper struck him at that il
l. slant in the month, and so affected hi
+ utterance as to lead the master to thin
r he had omitted one "h' and he SO
l. down swearing, and we had the sati
n faction of seeing his ears slapped with
l. piece of rubber for his profanity. Their
Is were now FIVE on the other side and 81