The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1875-05-15
From the Danbury News.l
A Lively Spelling School.

An impromptu spelling school was inaugurated
in Merrill's grocery, Saturday evening. A young
man who, last Winter, aided Mr.. Couch in the
management of the North Centre school, con-
Quoted the class. The first word he gave out was
80 Indian"
The first man said, "I-n, in, dim, din
indin."
The teacher shook his head. We'll | declare
l thot | had it" said the speller, with keen disap-
pointment but he picked up when the second
man started, and eyed him with considerable anx-
iety.
The next man with a desperate earnestness ;
said, "I-n, in, de, de, u-n, un, Indeun."
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 deri-
sive amusement, turned the quid in his mouth,
and said
"You amt in a rod ont but go on, let sum
more try"
The teacher told the second speller that he also
had failed, whereupon he sighed again.
Then the third man took hold. He squared
himself upon the seat, and holding up one finger,
licked 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 precipice of a laugh while
this effort was being put forth, snickered right
out IN a loud outlaw at its conclusion.
"Well, that's a spell for you, l mus saw"
And then he laughed again. The speller said
nothing but he grew very red in the face when
his failure was announced, and cast a baleful
glance at the old party, whose turn had now come,
and who said
You people should keep away from here, YOU
should. And now We'll tackle that little word
and he smiled all over his face, while his ewes
twinkled with the merriment, and looking side
ways from one to the other, he rapidly spelled
"l-n, in, gin, gin, Ingin."
His smile deepened into a broad grin as he
watched the chagin flush to the countenance of
the other spoilers, who had been misled all the
time on a wrong pronunciation of the word. He
was grinning with all his might when the teacher
said
"You amt got the right word"
Wh-ah-ot?' and he bore Town to the braEen
face young man a look calculated to freeze him to
the bone.
/" Indian is the word. There is no such word as
lngin," said the teacher.
90, there isn't, hey? (sarcasticaIIy). You
know, of course. You know all about it, you
pimpy-."
But my dear sir, L"
You needn't apologize to me-" shouted the
old party, stamping the floor with his cane.
q" Who be you, any way, putting on your airs
about me? l could twist your scrawny neck of
OF you IN two minutes, you white-livered puppy,
But, my dear sir, let me ex-"
4" 1t tisn't Ingin, is it?" ground out the old
chap between his teeth. Its somethin' else, !
suppose. ", yes! you know, OF course. And a
nice one you are with your edication. Why
1on't your mother send back them apples she
borrowed a month ago ?" and he looked around
store with a triumphant glare of sarcasm.
" But just hear me-"
Hear you Who are you, any way?
your father when's he drawed q sober
breath, I'd like to know? An where's your
mart brother Ben? In prism somewhere, I'll be
bound. o, l know yer hull family like a book.
And a wuss lot than they are can't be found in
his neighbOrhoOd, and you just put that in your
ipe and smoke it, you egregious ass. Talk to
ne about spellin'," and the old man stamping
us cane again, stalked passionately out of the
tore.
The lesson was then postponed.