Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1875-05-29
MIR. O0FFIN's SPELLING MATCH.

The other evening old Mr.. and Mrs.
Coffin, who live on Bush street, sat in
their cosy back parlor, he reading the
paper and she knitting, and the family
cat stretched out under the stove, and
sighing for cats not SO well, fixed. 1t
was happy contented household, and
there was love in his heart as Mr.. Cof
fin put down his newspaper and re-
marked:
"I see that the whole country is be-
coming excited about spelling schools" :"
"Well, it's good to know how to
SPELL replied the wife. 81 didn't
have the chance some girls had, but I
pride myself that I can spell almost
any word that comes along"
"Ill see about that" he laughed;
"come, now, spell buggy"
"Humph! that's nothing-b-ug-g-y,
buggy" she replied.
" Missed the first timo-ha! hat he
roarod, slapping his leg. -.
"Not much-that was right"
eft was, oh Well, I'd like to see
anybody get two g's in buggy, Iwould." :"
"But It's spelled with two g's, and
any schoolboy will tell you so, she per-
sisted.
"Well, know durn sight better
than thatr he exclaimed, striking the
table with his fist.
ct don't care what you know! she
squeaked; "I know that there are two
g's in buggyp'
"Do you m ean to tell me that I've
forgotten how to spell ?" he asked.
"It looks that way" ....t
1t does, eh? Well, I want you and
all your relations to understand that I
d know more about spelling than the
whole caboodle of you strung on wirep
"And I want You to understand,
Jonathan Coffin, that you are an igno-
rant old blockhead, when you don't put
two gs in the word buggy-yes you
are 2"
+ "Don't talk that way to mer he
warned. 7i3
"And don't shake your fist at mel"
she replied. esy
Who's a-shaking his fist?"
"You were 2,
"That's lie--an Internal lief'
Don't call me liar, you old bazaar!
I've put up with your meanness for for
ty years past, but don't call me a liar,
and don't lay hand on mep'
+" Do you want divorce p he yelled,
springing up; "you can go now, this
minuteP
"Don't spit in my face-dont you
dare to do it or I'll make dead man
of youp she warned.
I haven't, spit in your freckled old
visage yet, bet 1 may if you provoke me
furtherr' SOS faIt.
!" Who's got freckled face, you old
turkey -buzzard ?"
= That was little too much. Hemade
motion as if he would strike, and she
seized him by the neck-tie. Then he
reached out and grabbed her right ear
and tried to lift her off her feet, but
she twisted up on the neck-tie until his
tongue ran out go
( s"Let go of mo you old fendp she
screamed. E, s.
Git down on your knees and beg
my pardon. you old wild catr' he re-
piled.
They swayed and struggled and
surged, and the. peaceful cat was struck
by the oyerturning table and had her
back broken, while the clock fell down,
and the pictures danced around. The
woman, finally shut her husbands sup
ply OF air off and Topped him. and as
she bumped his head up and down on
the floor and scattered his gray hairs
she shouted:
You want to get up another spell
ing school with me, don't your"
He was seen limping around the
yard yesterday, a stocking pinned
!, around his throat, and she had court
plaster on her nose, and one finger tied
up. He wore the look Of a martyr,
while she had the bearing Of victor,
and from this time out 8 buggy" will be
spelled with two g's in that house.