The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-05-08

An impromptu spelling.school was inau
guratcd in Merrlls grocery store Saturday
/ evening, \ young man, who last winter
f aided Mr.. Couch in the management Of the
p North Center School, conducted the class
/, The first word given out was Indian.
=, The first man said I'm, in, din. din-ln
din"
The teacher shook his head. well l de
clare, thOt had it, said the spclicr, with
} keen disappointment, but he picked up when
the second man started, and eyed him with
considerable anxiety.
The next man, with desperate earnestness,
said "l-n m, de, de, indie, u-n, un-lndeun,
! Then he sighed, and gazed anXiously at
the teacher, while an old party at the end OF
the bench, who was watching the efforts with
derisive amusement, turned the quid in his
mouth and said:
you amt within rod ont hut go on /;
| let some more try"
The teacher then told the second spcller
that he also had failed, whercupGn he sighed
again.
Then the third man took hold. He squared
himself upon'his seat, and holding up one
finger, tckled off the letters with becoming
solemnity, as follows: "I-n. in, d-d.d-a, da,
india, in, in-lndain"
The old party on the end Of the bench, who
had been lettering on the preclpice of u
laugh while this effort was being put forth,
spickered right out in a loud gulfaw At Its
conclusion.
"Weli, that's a spell for you, must say
And then he laughed again. The speller
said nothing, but grew very red in the face
when his failure was announced, and cast a
baleful glance at the old party on the bench,
whose turn had now come. and who said:
nd IN tack la that littlp word " and
he smiled all over his face, while his eyes
:winkled with merriment, and looking side
ways from one TO the other, he rapidly
spelled
"I.n, in, gin, Ingin.'
His smile deepened into broad grin as he
watched the chagrln flush to the countenan.
ces of the other spoilers who had been misled
all the time on wrong pronunciation OF inc
word, and he was grinning with all his might,
when the teacher said.
you amt got the right word
"Wh ah-at?" and he bore down on the bra
Zenfaced youth look calculated to freeze
him to the bone.
Indian is the word There is no such
word as Ingin,' said the teacher.
"Oh, there isn't, hey? (sarcasticallyD You
know, Of course You know all abou. it,
You pimply-'
But, my dear sir, Il
You needn't apologize to me, shouted the
old party, stamping the floor with his cane.
"Who be you, anyway, putting on your airs
about me? could twist your scrawney
neck off of you in two minutes, you white-liv-
cred puppy, YOU
But my dear sir, let me ey-"
1T tisn't Ingin, is it?' ground out the old
chap between his teeth. ITS something else,
suppose. Oh, yes! you know, of course.
And Il nice one you arc with your education.
Why don't your mother send back them ap'
pies she borrowed a month ago" and he
looked around the store with a triumphant
glance of sarcasm.
But just hear me
"Ucar you! Who are you, any way p
What's your father. When's he draw'd so
Der breath, l should like to know? An where
is your smart brother, Ben? In prison some
where, I'll be bound. Oh, l know yer whole
family like q book. And wuss lot than
they are cant be found in this neighborhood
and you just put that in your pipe and smoke
it, you egregious ass. Talk to me about
spellin'," and the old man, stamping his
cane again, stalked passionately out Of the
store,
The lesson was then postponed,--DdnJaryl
N.g-V