Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-03-31
Bosrov CORRESPONDENCE.


mania which has broken out in nearly every city,
village and hamlet in our land. Some genius
and it seems to me he must have been born in the
good old State of Maine-started this spell" in
the West, and it was found so practical, so be1ef-
cial and so profitable that it spread from one city
to another, and you know the result. Every town
now must have its spell or it is considered behind
times. Boston has had two Of these matches. and
at both Music Hall has been crowded almost to
sufsocaton. Thousands of people were unable to
gain admittance But these matches are so unlike
the good old spelling schools which you and were
wont TO attend in the days of our boyhood that
they are tame indeed. Yon will remember the
little red school house at the four corners, dark
and dingy with age, with its little low oenches
hacked with the pocket knife, with the little desk
perched upon a platform where the pedagogue
used to stand and instil wisdom and awe into the
minds of the boys and girls. You also remember
how the scholars from the adjoining districts used
to rally at the spelling schools and "spell down
their less learned companions, and then retire with
the best looking girls on their arms, filling the
minds of those poor defeated mortals with envy,
hatred and Jealousy. At those gatherings there
was no pomp or show, but everything was brought
down to practical test. The dictionary was not
resorted to, for the spelling book contained enough
hard words to "foor" most Of those who took part.
| can look back o-day and see, in my minds eye,
one of those good old fashioned, spelling matches
of long ago, with its long row Of lads and lassies
paraded on each side Of the house, with intelli-
gence beaming in all their eyes, with the dim
flicker Of the tallow candles casting their ghosty
rays upon the excited healthful faces Of the boys
and girls, and the school-master parading back
and forth quitting out" hard words to his pupils,
while he dangled huge ruler in one hand and
had the spelling book in the other; and then re-
call the scenes of Music Hall as they were enact
ed here few evenings since. The people which
filled that hall were totally unlike those practical
people which gathered at the spelling school
twenty five and thirty years ago. There was no
pomp and show then. Now it is all pomp and
show. The brilliant light Of thousand gas jets,
the elegant and costly toilet Of the ladies present,
the hum and buzz and applause and ridicule ofthe
audience as one after another Of the participants
were compelled to step down and oat, the deep,
rich tones of the great organ, which in itself would
more than fill any Of those unassuming school
houses so large is it in proportion, all combine to
IL
have witnessed in the country towns. would
give more to witness one good old-fashioned
spelling school, such as they used to have when
we were boys than to witness hundred exhibi-
tons of the Music Hall stamp.
And such spelling as is here brought out. Even
the Boston printers, who claim to stand at the
head, in this respect, have shown sad want OF
knowledge in the art of spelling. "Referrible"
was too much for this intellectual class and they
were compelled to retire in disgust, and then be
denominated 'blacksmitbs" by the daily papers
You can't hire Boston printer to participate in
any more of these "spells." Those who took part
and failed in the late contest are the subject Of the
most cruel ridicule by their fellow craftsmen, and
whenever the subject is broached to them they are
recommended to Ego and hire hall" Next Sat-
urtlay evening there will be another contest at
Music Hall, between the Harvard College stu
dents and the girls of our High Schools.
The LATE MURDER
Has excited the people of Boston to an unwont-
ed degree. Not within my recollection has such
q sense of horror and disgust been aroused as the
murder has caused. If the people Of Boston had
not been a law-abidng people the murderer would
have been summary dealt with when he was
taken through the streets in a carriage, thanked
on either s. de by squadron of mounted police.
Rum is at the bottom of this terrible crime. No
one attributes premeditated murder to the villain
who took the life of Mrs. Bingham. He called at
her house and desired to be shown to the cellar
for the purpose ofexamining the water-pipes, when
the unsuspecting victim procured light and led
the way to her doom. The visit to the cellar was
doubtless made for the purpose ofmaking explora-
tions prior to robbing the house; but the diamond
ring glstenng upon her finger overcame all else
and the assassin soon accomplished his deed Of
blood. The mouth Of the poor woman was
crammed with gravel and stones, and in this con-
dition Pemberton doubtless throttled her and
strangled her TO death. The murderer then left,
having first robbed his victim Of her rings. He
went to Salem, and there, in saloon, disposed of
the diamond ring for some Sl4. while its real
value amounted to about Sl2I. The police all
over the State were notified of the crime, and the
detectives started in pursuit of the murderer, who
was soon lodged within the walls Of Charles street
jail. The crime with all its narrowing details, has
naturally caused sense of insecurity even within
our own households. If human life is not safe
there, where shall it be-
THE INTENSE COLD
Which has prevailed during the past winter has
had depressing effect upon nearly all branches
of industry, and the advent of spring is looked for
ward to with impotence. Asuccesson of cold and
stormy days has followed almost constantly, and
the people here are heartily tired of winter. But
the end is near at hand, and revival of business
is confidently expected. The ladies have deferred
their shopping until our merchants nearly dis
couraged and wholesale dealers have watched in
vain for the presence of customers from east and
west. The drumming force in nearly every house
has been largely reduced, as they find it impossi
BILE to make sales on any terms But better days
will soon come and the thousands of clerks who
have been compelled to remain idle month after
month, will soon find plenty to do Many of the
larger houses have lost heavily during the past
season. Rents have been enormous, but are now
being reduced 1t is not an uncommon thing here