Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1875-09-04
"Spclling Down"
BY WILL CLIFFORD.

~ WILL CIR fDkD.
Well, Jane, | stayed in town last night,
Il know | hadn't oughtcrD
And went to see the spclin match
With Cousin Philips daughter.
| told her was most too old;
She said ! wasn't nuthcr-
A likely GAL is Susan Jane;
The image OF her mother.
| begged and plead with might and main,
And tried my best to shake her;
But durn the gal, she stuck and hung,
Until had to take her
| amt much USED to city ways,
Or city men and women,
And what ! see. and what heard,
just sot my head Il swimmn'.
The hall was filled with stylish folks,
In broadcoth silks, and laccs,
Who, when the time had come to spell,
Stood up and took their places.
And Mayor Jones, in thunder tones,
And waistcoat bright and WALLER,
Gave out the words to one and all,
From a new-:anglcd speiler.
The people looked so bright and smart,
Thinks |, it's no use foolin';
They've got the sp,lliu'- book by heart,
With all their city schoolin';
Till Orvil Kent, the Circuit Judge
Got stuck on PeHn>y,canjd
And Simon swift, the merchants clerk,
Went down on heptoman'a.
Then Caleb Dun, the brokers' son,
He put two Ms in Ui0aGy.
And Susan Jane, she smirkcd and smiled,
And left oVc out oftMnDN
And Leonard Rand, the Harvard chap,
With features like lady,
Spelled lots o French and Latin words,
And caycd on rUtadtga
And as sot there, quiet like,
\ winllin' and a-hlinllin,
The gaslight glarin' in my eyes,
| couldn't help a-thinlin'
How things were changed since YOU AID l.
In other winter weather,
Drove DER the $ now bound Eaton pixies
To spcllin' school together.
Again the bleak New En5land hills
Rc-cChocd to the singing
OF Yankee girls, with hair in curls,
Who set the welkin ringing;
They want afraid to sing when asked,
And never would refuse to;
Somehow the singing now -Cfavs, Jane,
Don't sound much as ii used to-
Twelve couple then, a slcigh-load made,
Packed close TO keep from irceZm;
Lor' bless the black-cycd, rosy girls,
They didn't mind the sQucczin';
Your sweetheart never would complain
Because YOU cilanccd To crowd her,
They'd more Of flesh and blood them days,
And less OF paint and powder.
Down past the Quaker mectin house,
And through the tamaracl hollcr,
Mid m'rth and song we sped along,
With other loads 10 tollcr,
Until Uljc gaslgIIt DINNER crew.
| surely warn a drCamin,
Upon the distant hill see
The scIooI-housc lights glcamin'.
The pcdagoguc @:,yc out the words,
His styr. bowed spvcls adillstln,
To Iinsry gir,s with hair in curls,
And boys in jeans and iustian.
The letters rang ont sharp and clear,
Each syllable pronouncin';
For he who broke the mastcrs rule
Was certain OF Il lrUuncin',
Brave hearts went down amid the strife;
Tn" words came thicker, faster,
l4lkt I'OilN -Htbitl bI veterans SitiItN
ruc boys CLOSED round The masters
All down but two!
Fair I.ucy's locks sNccp over hutus'
shoulder,
The room is still, the air grows chill,
Tn" winds blow ticrccr, colder
"P-h-t-h-y-s-i--c,"
Lisrcd Lucy in furry;
"P-h--t-h-j--s-i-c,'
Cried Rufus in a hurry
No laurel wreath adorned his brow,
TwincI} 10y a bIoodstaincd Nero;
Yet in his homvspun Suiliof blue,
Young Rufus stood a hclo.
The master sleeps beneath the hill,
The voice of Rufus Bcnnct,
Who snapped the word from Lucy Bird,
Was heard within the Senate
And countless millions bless the name
OF him who set in motion
The tidal wave which freed the slave
From ocean unto ocean.
The girls who charmed us with their song>
Mid heavenly choirs are singing;
Their feet have pressed the shining street,
Where golden harps are ringing.
We've both grown old and feeble, Jane;
Our views may not be true ones
Yet somehow all the old ways seem
Much better than the new ones.
Underwood, ILL.,, July 6, 1919.
-ittei Orcan.