The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-04-03
The Lewiston Smelling Match.

hO AOWAcOVH opClnH6 1A""
The Lewiston Journal contains the following
entertaining account of the spelling match in
that city:
Strangers who were standing on the steps OF
the De Witt House last evening at seven o'clock,
under the impression that summer had come,
wondered why all the school children who
passed bv should be murmuring softly to them
selves-"P h-th-i-s-i-c, phthisc; p-h-t-h-i-s-l-c,
phthisc." It has been a hard year for lung
troubles, but that could hardly explain the cir
cumstances.
The perplexed strangers will probably learn
for the first time, when this meets their eyes,
that those phthiscky children were on their
way to the City Hall, and were practising tor
the first spelling match of the season, held
under the auspices of the Lewiston Business
College. The hall was full quarter to eight,
when Mr.. G. Bosrdman Smith stepped upon
the platform and announced the rules of the
contest. Col. W. HI. Waldron of the Gazette
was summoned to the chair, and he was ably
supported by board of reference and arbitra-
ton, consisting of w. FL. Boomer, of the Clip
per, A. w. Sturges of the Journal. and large
dictionary. Professor Angell of Bates College
Was designated as the gentleman who should
put out the words; and he was established upon
the platform, with Wilson's spelling book in
hand, clothed in all the dignities and privileges
which belong, under the constitution, to the
pedagogue, except the power of inficting cor
poral punishment.
Mr. Smith had a long list of the names OF
those who had volunteered to risk their repu-
tations for the small sum of three dollars in
currency, with gold at III and showing an up
ward tendency at that. Charles Morse was
the first name called. Charles Morse took up
his position in the southwest corner OF the nall
and was allowed to stand there, unasked by
the Judges whether he had formed any previous
opinions about the case, or whether he had con-
scientious scruples in regard to capital punish
ment Then name after name was called with
out inducing corresponding appearances: MI
Smith, in a.little speech that was not Wltnou
a touch of pathos, was obliged to remind the
recusant volunteers that their tickets had been
given them with the express understanding
that they were to stand up and SPELL Still
they went back on themselves; aud 1t was only
after Col. Waldron had added word concern
ing the improperly of thus violating the most
sacred obligations, that the defaulting ticket
holders came to the front.
TOE panel was completed without further
Ql1nCulGy. Ou each Sluo VI tuo udil ouiotoHius
from the platform down toward the door, stood
fine assortment of spoilers, of ages and sizes
to suit There were thirty or forty of them,
men, women and children-the latter FREEDOM
mating. They all stood up in the fall con-
seriousness that they we're standing with the
dreadful abyss of geographic disgrace yawn--
ing on one hand, while on the other hand
lowered the glittering peaks of three dollars in
currency. Each speller affected perfect uncon-
Germ, and was all the time whispering to him
himself or herself. "p-h-t-h-i-s.i phthisic;
p.h-t-h-i s-ic," -,
Professor Angel then took the floor with
smelling book in hand, remarking that he
WASH there to puzzle the contestants state
ment which the spoilers received with looks
of uneasy incredulity. The first word tossed
was easily caught on the fly by the boy in the
left field Then came 'trailing" maynard
and great many more very easy WORDS or
the twO-syllable class. all OF which were
handled with dexterity, and even with con-
tempt, by the spoilers concerned. The first
damage was done by plaintiff" which failed
to make out a case on one t.
This part of the entertainment would have
been as monotonous as grammar school ex'
animation had it not been for the using con-
trasts in the voices and styles of the speakers.
The voices ranged from the deep bass OF some
of the big boys up to the piping efforts of the
little fellows from the primary schools. 1t was
easy to distinguish the school children from
the printers, of whom there were number
among the contestants. The scholars carefully
divided up their words into syllables, while the
compesitors went from Alpha to Omega by
express, without change OF cars or stops for
refreshment-
al of the spoilers have succumbed to the pecu..
larities Of "sattre," 'jaundis," ''haulter,"
"prescint" and "scolar," while one boy never
smiled again after simplifying ''austere, into
20 steer bright little. girl who knew
much more of peanuts than OF penults, thought
that the latter word might be resolved into
p .e-a-n-o-c-t" Everybody smiled when
"s.c-i-z-z-e-r-s" cut off the career of one young
lady, and ''curfew'' in the shape of "c-e-r-f-u
tolled the knell of parting day Tor another
One beaming little hero who had previously
consulted his papa in regard to the best wav OF
spending three dollars, dropped out of the race
on account Ola natural mistake which led him
to infer that the ''balling" done by the boy who
projects an icy owball is identical with the
'bawling" done by the youth who catches 1t
on his ear
Professor ANGEL next ventured on to trisylla-
bic ground and the result of such adventures
as "fa-l-a-c-i-o-u-s" and 'g.r a-f-t-l-c-a-r and
"r-o-s-b-e-r-r-y," was TO reduce the census to
males, and eight OF the opposite
sex. One smart grammar school girl spelled
through thick and thin, showing such evident
agony until her word came round and such IN
tense satisfaction when the perilous moment
was safely passed, that everybody was sorry
when she lost her balance on pauclty, anu
put it 'po-r-c-i-ty.
At quarter to ten there were left only two
young men and two ladies. One young man
went down on 'a-r-c- h-i-ty-p-e." The sole re-
naming representative of the sterner sex soon
discovered that. as the words were given, out
from side to side, he was spelling two words to
one for each of his opponents. With great
presence of mind he crossed the hall and thus
relieved himself of the imputation OF taking
more than his share.
"Bu-c-k-a-n .e-e r. seated one of the two la
dies, and the contest was then narrowed down
to Journal compositor and lady who had
shown great GOODNESS and good spelling through
the evening The audience manifested consid-
cradle interest in the result. Word after word
was put out and sent back correctly dissected,
until an unexpected slip on ''q-u-i n
ties Gems re" left the lady alone, the sole sur
viver of hard-spelled field, and sole heir to
the dollars three. The name of the successful
contestant is Mrs. Clara G. Anterior. She is
the wife of Lisbon-street merchant.
Mr. Smith has the thanks of all who were