The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-09
SPELLING MATCH.

oRTHoGRAPHIcAL MANIFESTATION By A LITERARY
AND SOCIAL UNION.
The Literary and Social Union or the South Bap-
fist Church, It's name indicates, is body organ
ized for social and literary purposes ana is in the
habit OF holding semi-monthy meetings in the
lecture room Tor social and literary exercises. II
report be true, these meetings have contributed
much to the benent OF the persons comprising the
society and the entertainment or their friends.
The members mostly belong TO the Sabbath school
and have heretofore manifested no greater share
or eccentricity tnan usually appertans TO soci-
ety ct large. But as no class OF the community
is Tree rom the moral and intellectual
more than from the physical contagious which
occasionally sweep through the land the Literary
and Social Union OF the South Baptist Church re-
Gently became affected by the prevailing mania,
which took shape at Its regular meeting, held last
evening, in spelling match. large audience
gathered in the main body OF the church edifice,
the nave and galleries being comfortably filled,
the latter mostly by small boys, VINO seemed
affected by 1endisn glee at the prospect or see-
ing their elders and betters undergoing the tor
lures to which they are daily subjected. The
entertainment was opened by singing and prayer,
alter which Miss Davenport sang solo ABOUT
.'Norah Darllngn IN an admirable manner Mr.
II. NJ. Norris then read an essay upon 'ls Heaven
a Place 2" following 1t by poetIcal enusIon re-
gard,ng a good boy who lived IN shanty on a
IN great distress because mis- parents were so
THE EVENT OF THE EVENING,
and the one Tor winch the audience were all anx-
iousy waiting, then followed. Mr.. George ii.
Bell anu Albert l.. Reed were called on 10 choose
SIDES, when they dld by reading Inst OF names
from slips OF paper In their HANDS. Inc contest
ants arranged themselves in line on the rear OF
the rostrum the leaders IN the centre. Dr. Osborn.
the pastor. appointed pronouncer, and Drs.
Gomez and Clifton referees, and so the fghs began.
soon n slim-built young man curtailed the word
.aglle" of us iair proportions by emitting the
final ,e,n aud 50 went to grass AMID the paudits
of the boys IN the galiery-prompted, doubtless.
by that ellow-ieeng which makes US Kind. ..Allo-
patuyi'-as IL has many times OeiOre-proved fatal
10 a second, VINO thought one a" was enough,
getui that 'es'were magniiied IN alopathc doses.
s,Almondr struck down a small BOY, VINO grew
weary before he arrived al the q, and lar young
lazy required an auxiliary" before she could
spell the word, and SO SANK 10 rest. "Bourn' car.
ried another TO mat pace whence no speller was
7 allowed TO return TO the rostrum, and another
followed nm Tor want OF an accessory" TO spell
what he wanted. "Surclngtep struck down
another who mad an undue partialty Tor s. and
small boy, who valnly thought the yowels
Ougntnit 10 be placed In any sucn absurd proxim-
n.y. spclt singing Tor 'singeing' and, with lace
wnicn indicated the correct photography, melted
into the audience. The word ''caoutchouc'i was
finally pronounced IOr the benefit OF MIR. Reed,
one OF the leaders, causing that gentle
man 10 look extremely discouraged. He bright
ened up Tor moment and appealed 10 the referees
against the wOru as being technical or abstract
anu as not coming within the role. lie was IN
formed that the word was not technical and eX-
cessivelY concrete, ana despair gathered athwart
his phy sIognOmy again. Tue definition OF the word
was given ulm when ne enlivened and offered TO
spell 'india rubOer,m out II wouldn't do. He made
falnt effort. ana though he retained mis- position
10 guide and encourage ms forces, as spellist ne
appeared no more The contest waXel warmer
ana warmer aud contestants Tell one alter the
otner ike the leaves iall until only a. determined
band was lett wno Kept on spelling In such per-
sistent and unreasonable way tnat the reporter
couldn't wait any longer aud so quietly stole
away. lie believes they are spelling there yet.