Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1875-04-22

The classes were arranged i'll eemlclrculAr
shape upon the stage in double rows, with .
small division in the top of the arch, the ladies
for the most part being in the front row. Pres
ident Wilson sat upon the right the referees,
Profs. W. A. Reynolds, J. X Taylor and =. ".
Murphy OH the left, and 8. J. Wiley, who gave
ont the words, in the centre.
The exercises were opened after few re-
marks by President Wilson, with an instrument
tai duett by Misses Ormsby and Pickels, which
WAS followed by vocal duett (The Woodbirds
Song) by Misses Collins and Clark, with Miss
ormond at the piano. Miss omond then sang
a solo no sweetly that she was recalled.
The spelling then began with such words as
cedar, frisr, polar, solar and the like, which
went all the way around without mics young
gentleman misstook "pennant' for ''pennoh,"
but WAS allowed to maintain his seat
On the second round, . gentleman perceived his
error too late in "percieve," and retired to pri-
vate life. Another believed that the "Aborigi-
nes," spelled their name ese, and went to seek
happier hunting grounds. Before the words had
gone half round. the dead line numbered eight,
two beng ladies'; one Of whom injudioiously
alleged that T" Allegation" should have but one |.
A well-known citizen, whose bold spelling had
won him great applause, took the slippery
ground that allopathc, should be spelled with an
. ia the second syllable. This proved . fatal
dose. Another acknowledged his error In spel-
ing Acknowledgements with an in the third sylla-
ble and third found too late that accordion,
and not accordeon WAS accordin TO the books.
Analogous laid another brave combatAnt low,
and now the third round swept away four gen.
tlemen and one lady, the last having her breath
caught by asthma, without t. Austere was tho
look which one put on when Mr.. Wiley said 1t
wasn't spell teer, and q silent tear fell from the
audience at his departure. The fate Of another
was not long in abeyance, when he spelt that
word abeiance, and while the next found it not
to his advantage to spell advantageous with an
/, still another learned too late that admissible
could not be admitted.
Thus went the trial on. At the beginning Of
the next round, gentleman considered some
time over bouquet, but the flowers Of speech
deserted him and he gave 1t up. Three others
fell one for saying that britannia had but one n,
. second for the declaration that bAsllar con-
tanned an Q, and third for spelling the last sy-
liable of bestisl, ule. One lady got the wrong
word in her mind and spelled chronicle for
chronical, Aid an honest but fated printer in
VAN wrestled with catecheticAl, the cats and
chefs scratching too hard for him. Craunch
without q IL, chaldron for cAldron, chirography
with an in the third syllable, and coruscation
and the last one. = gentleman, was applauded
ss he went ont, because he had had the boldness
to ask, earlier in the fray, for ''some harder
words" Crewel proved q cruel test to gentle.
man who thus far::had mastered the game well;
he couldn't spin it. Another put but one 3 In
cashmere, and presently two ladies In rapid sue
cession, fell on diaphragm, aud chincApin. (This
word is spelled go Observation-Disclosures; chincA-
pin, chinquapin: Worcester. chincapin. chinqua-
PIN and even chinkapth--that it seems hardly
suitable. 1t " word only Of local use, 1t any
rate y
(About this time one was put ont for some
error in spelling coleelaw. There is no such
compound word given by either Webster or Wor-
ceAtor. although the parts cole, and siaw Ar are
spelling, kool sla, as the original word In Dutch
use, whence it came to u.s. A word 80 limited
in its use might perhaps be Justly objected to,
on this occasion)
A gentleman WAS now disinthralled. and re-
leased, II not redeemed or regeneratod, for
spelling disnthrall with one (which the author
tiles do not permit. Twelve ladies' and four gem
tlemen remained. The stronger sex had suf-
fered badly and the weaker looked heroic and
resolute. The result proved their confidence
however, four ladies were permitted to
two gentlemen. the first lady on dropped,
for which she spelled dropped and after an ap-
peal to the Supreme Court Of Reference was
enroll, eyelet, (this, ssd to say being fatal to .
lady) and frolicking, the last omitting the X.
A lady now spelled gives, with an !, which re-
leased her from the fetters OF further attend.
ance, and a plucky young ,proof-reader whose
forefront Of battle, WAS ruled out-for spelling
hemorrhage with the diphthong HEM deci.
sion clearly an error, under the rules, a. this
spelling is given also by Worcester.
Five ladies' aud one gentlemen now remained
and these these were sure Of prizes, there being
six offered. The only question was ~ to posi-
ton in the rank of fame and reward. Ono lady
however, secured her place % sixth, by chang
ing to q, in ignitible, and presently three 9th
er ladies followed, (though, before doing 50 on'
OF them, il our reporter and others heard cor
rectly, spelled whiffie tree, without an b. ant
was not ruled out.) One failed on mstrass,
measure, used by chemists, u word which i
technical, and now obsolato even in the lAbora
tory another on catechumen, and the third OF
exacerbHte-ths last an error by the spelle
which she detected herself in An instant, but un
fortunately too late.
A lady and gentleman rsmaned-the formc
Cheste or county girl, the latter gallant youn(
would fail purposely.. We do not think he did
Once he was ruled out for . varia
tsohnicai, ssa II belonging to S1n,hoiosy .psiis
preferably gerfalcon, by Worcester, and eve
High GoSr. S % Of appssis restored him. amid d. srs.
, applause. Only minute or two Of respite, how
ever, for coon came hermeneutics, (anotht
. technical word, in our Judgment, Jon which b
j fell to rise no more. The referees were q
over tho le1icons, but they found no .,
. provA OF the method now proposed, and I'll
u lady Was left mistress OF the field. Great ay
plause greeted her and a bouquet was sent D
from the audience.
About = thousand words were given out in q
9 The prizes were then distributed, after fe
d remarks by President Wilson, ~ follows:
Q lst. Miss Emma speakman, OF Coatesvill
y One share Of centennial stock, with certiicat
|, and . Webster's Unabridged Dictionary. Tot
Is value, e22.
o And Henry P. Grubb, Wilmington. cha
n Of centennial stock. with certificate, and Appl
1t toms Biographical Dictionary. Value, ei6.
'e Srd. Mrs. Geo. A. I.e MA.tre, Coatesville.
N bronze centennial medal, and Websters Nation
10 Dictionary. Value, tlO.
ID 4th. Miss Ella SpeAkman, CoAtesulle. col
H. silver centennial medal, and Bartlett's Dict,ona
ID OF Quotations. Value, 10.
70 9Th. Miss Lizzie Qrubb, WILMINGTON.