Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1872-04-11
+" Spelling Down"
an Oal CeStom Retired.
[Erom the Titusville Herald

We met sleight load Of boys and
girls the other night few mics ont
of the city, on their way 70 a"spe'l'
ing match "in the school.hoase OF n
neighborng district, and the jmgliug
bells and the merry laughter oil the
young folk made us forget for y sea
son that We had passed the forenoon
of lile, and we joined the happy
throng in Imagination, and we were
back again among the scenes OF years
ago, when cares were few, lho great
est sorrow OF our lite was 20 be com
PEELED 10 stay away from spelling on
singing schools to get our boots tap.
ped, and knew that Bin Jones wooli
90 home with our girl after the eXer-
clSeS oi the evening We're ended.
Is there an individual living who
does not ut times brush tive caOwchS
away from hIs pictures of the past,
and revert tonlty to the scenes OF his
youth Ii So. lpl him be known, tho
wo do not believe N the unmanty feel.
ing that prompts one lo look u Ok
for all has pleasures, and soc only
clouds and stormy weather IN the
future"
But we commenced to talk Of spell,
ing schools tie old fashioned KIND,
held III The wiuter evenings III our
own or eighbor;hg school house, -
The latter, however were looked for,
ward TO with more pleasure, rs the
usual monotony OF the occasion was
relieved 10y The excitement ut meet.
ing foreign foe, and the fun OF Il
ride under the buffalo robes to the
field OF contest
How big" we used to feel when
in a solemn manner the SchounnasLer
would step 40 to the ro.trum, and
after cra>lng all traces OF The day :
arithmetic exercises upon The black
board, that our minds might not wan.
der from the evenings work, slng out
in well remembered VOICE, cross
between dcacun's and heavy TRACE
dams our name, coupled with some
membrr Of the opposition side, aN The
two upon whom fell the honor OF
choosing sides.
Aud what terrible suspense inter,
yened while the two pcdagugurs
drew cuts to see who shouii nave
their tirSt choice, preparatory to se
Letting the chosen two dozen " ho
were to try and spell each other
down.
If the leader Of the other side .
happened 10 be a riya! Of ours in the
suit for smiles iiom the rosy.chcckcd
girl, who apparently had no thought
.ot anything save The apples she was
sIyIy eating behind the stove, The cX.
cltement was doubIy great, unit, it
was decided that we Gust think Of iU
had drawn the longest straw and
were entitled to the first choice
among all the boyy Of young folks
lbat were scattered around the
school room.
How high we lifted ont COW hide
boots as We stepped to the corner "t
the room, whero the line of "rlhu
graphical battle was TO be iormrd .
OF course The first lame called wu,
that of oar sweetheart, though TIVE
mast say ~ she was the poorest
speller Iii the school, and her lorna.
ZION OF words would i,I.tilen the por
trait of old Noah Wooster from lIpr
title page OF his first book. She was
the hatdsomcNt young girl in lbc
whole school her checks were as
red as n Baldwin apple, aud her cpi>,
which had becn eiaboratcly twisted
around hot poker, were natural,
and besides that, She bad agreed t.
90 home from all the singing sclool-
Tor Il month ahead with us, aud " ben
we had a stone bruse on oar hcui IN
summer, who but She could lie a rag
50 tenderiy around the spot 81 Sc
repeat It, wc chuse her III once, aud
while she was tripping tu her place at
our slde, the other leader, a> II 10
seek revenge and pay court to Mar,
Instead Of Ncmns, selected tor III,
choice, the very best scholar - the
schoo,, girl Who = thuu4tt homrty
IS Dtrnulu's what !, II, . cu,td 70
throog tie spelling book Ike I&0lp-
iny, AID was IA, much n home among
words II seven syltaHsc' ~ those 81
twJ. Then the work commenced, j.,
ani the qn IA Of spelling wa- soon
ii.led, though We mast confess ti'tl