Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1875-05-20
A Spelling Match in the New York Stock
Exchange.

The s'boys'' OH the Stock Exchange will
have their little amusement at any cost. 1t
matters not whether they are "long" or
''short." when the time for fun comes around
they always snake good their margins
They will halt in the middle of '1ll give AZ
for 500, seller three" at any time to play
practical joke, and the author of q new sell
is invariably the hero of the hour. 1t will be
readily seen, then, that the announcement OF
a spelling match to take place at the close Of
business in the rooms of the Governing Com
mittee of the Stock Exchange was sufficient
inducement to call the fun-loving element out
in full force The prize to be contended for
was understood to be ten shares of Boston,
Hartford and Erie stock; but, as one of the
spoilers said, ''it's not money we want; our
parents arc Germans, and we drink wine for
dinner. We've got an intellectual spell on US
and it's got to be worked off," Shortly after
three O'Clock Mr.. w. B. Bend mounted the
rostrum, and announced that the lists were
opened for the tourney. Considerable time
was consumed in the selection of ''sides,'
which were finally arranged, however, twelve
persons on each, under the leadership of
Messrs. A. g. Wood and S. Wadsworth. The
match was novelty in this respect, that in
stead Of giving single word complete SEN
tence was given out as test OF the ability OF
the spoilers. This course, as might be natur
ally expected, led to much confusion. For
instance, the first instance given out was:
''Will you lend me ten dollars?" At this, the
twelve good men and true said never word,
and the silence was only broken by MIR.
Mitchell whispering in hoarse voice that
they were all spel-bound. The first attempt
proving an utter failure, the chairman then
gave out, ''What will you take:' A scene of
uproar then ensued which it is impossible to
describe. Not the slightest attention was paid
to the rules governing the match, each indi-
vidual calling out in loud and angry tones his
particular fancy, and for several minutes the
alrresounded with mingled shouts of straight,
"a little sugar in mine "a little more gum,
if you please" and many other expressions
incomprehensible to the initiated After
order had been IN measure restored the
match was proceeded with, and at one time
bid fair to reach very satisfactory conclu-
sion. The first man spelled down was on
Wadworth's side, who rendered the word
''Drew'' Puts Drew. One of Woods fol-
lowers then took back seat as he said the
word ''commission" was spelled ''one-eighth
per cent" The word ''Pacific" was the signal
for grand ''scalping" match. anything but
peaceful-looking to the spectator, but the
difficulty was finally settled between the con-
tending factions on the ''curbstonc," where a
s'Union" was effected. The word "water'
was then announced, at which an expression
of ineffable disgust overshadowed the counte-
nances of all present, and, without another
word being uttered on either side, the spoilers
of the Stock Exchange wended their way in
a melancholy procession from the Governing
Committee, to meet again on some more au-
spicious occasion.