The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-07-07
. SPELLING MATCH.


devour.
We have more economical arrange
mcnts coming in fashion, even in the
old country house, now, but there are
none so full of evening witchery, 50
care beguiling and hesrtsOmc, as the old
wood fire.
What clfsh pranks it played that
night! How it REDEEMED old Farmer
DoDson smoking cap, and shone on his
rood wiles spectacleS, and tinted Jobs
high cheek bones and sleek black hair
a, he sat IN the off corner bending OBJ
tu,cy over his book, utterly absorbed,
~ a man might he who bad 80 little
time TO explore the mysteries Of Web
ster. and who was 10 take part in the
spelling match tonight.
job was Farmer DobsonS farm hand
II tall, strong, patient fellow who had
been soquietly the butt of us all this
winter. that we had got to using him as Il
biz mastiti, who might be dangerous,
but under ordinary circumstances could
be safely leased and tormented to the
top of our bent. A mist gathered IN
my eyes rs l looked across the great
kitchen to where he sat unconscious,
plodding away at his task. ! thought of
our Glib and easily acquired learning,
and Of poor Jobs hard struggle for lie,
and pitied Job.
Yes, / pitIed him; but yet, nevertheless
rs | saw him stopping so profoundly by
the light of the witching fire. needless
of the shadow and shine of the room, IN
imp OF neutrality-suspicious. one of the
pranksome elves gesticulating in the
chimney. corner-got possession OF me.
arose softly, and glided over to where
he sat, spriukled the absorbed student
with u shower of eau-dc. Cologne, and
putting the vial quickly in my pocket
walked demurely back to my seat. The
start Job gave, and the flush on
his face rs he returned to his book, were
comical That Cologne was AbDah
Plummer's present, and l shouldn't have
wasted 1t perhaps, and perhaps job
didn't like Cologne. lie shut the book
presently, and sat with his shoulder
stopped aud his head dropping, looking
into the fire.
Well, as | have said We were to have
n spelling match that night, not our first
one bv any means; but the old folks
had put their heads together to give Us
prize this time, Il beautiful set OF gold
and blue poets, SIX dainty little volumes
that stood cleaning in the fire light on
the round table, in the place OF honor
along with the great gilt edged family
Bible.
The young people dropped in one by
one. shaking of the snow Us they came
IN. tur there had been light snowfall
that evening, which made us all the
merrier. By-and-by the great kitchen
was filled up, the candles were lit,
Farmer Dobson laid aside his pipe, the
school-master Strengthened his neck tie,
and grabbed the big Webster before him,
and we all became properly impressed
with the importance OF the occasion.
though there WAS general nudging of
elbows and a sly grimace as big, shy
JOB Joined the class. But Job was used
to our merry-making, and took no
notice of it.
Round and round went the spelling
big words and little words, word with
treacherouS e's and as lying in wait in
unexpected places, and words without
ii. and words with odd h'S, and all the
deccIt!u dictionary drcadiulncss that
ne. in wait to trip up the unwary. And
n,,. after another of our champions
we're spelled down, and job actually
stood MS ground against half Il dozen
well scho0icd fellow Ali his face was
,iudlrd with cagerncS., uad the dull and
ploddiug look habituaI 20 him had disap-
prsrcd. The spelling was waking him
np. But there sat Ahlj"h Piummer
who didn't take part in the match--Abl
iah Plummer, the well TODD beau OF the
village, who had no need, may hap OF
book learning. There he sat and laugh
ed Mt Jobs excitement. saw an uneasy
Tyht in Jobs eyes, aS if he were being
severely tried. The spelling match was
Aiudling him to the centre, 1t seemed.
A few more words were yes on the
list. and there lay the beautiful books
smiling and shining Oh u.
"Bcautitulr gave out the school,
master; and Abijah laughed rs Job got
up to spell it. job looked at Abj,th,and
began. "B-e.u-' and there WAS general
scream OF laughter.
Darn it, said job between his teeth;
what can fellow do with II fool like
that grining at him?' The maStiii WAS
shaking himself up, and | trembIed for
Abijah.
ORDER, said the >chooi-mastcr, and
ave out the WORD again.
1t WAS my turn. don't know, rs |
say. what imp possessed me this evening,
bit I stood up ard spelled the word
with Il vim, just rs ii l dIdn tcare one jot
for Jobs defeat. and before / knew 1t
the blue and gold prize was put INTO my
hands. Then | looked at Job, and could
have cried.
But every one was merry and all
were talking and chatting and laughing
us we broke up and said good night.
wanted to speak to Job, but there siooa
AbJah in the doorway with my shawl IN
his hands, waiting to see me home, ana
| only nodded to Job as he stood at the
gate with his lantern to show lis the path.
One after another of the merry party DIS
appeared down the snowy road and the
winding lanes. Abijah and | were the
last.
"I'll see you down to the creek, SAID
Job humbly; cts rough road tonight,
And without another word he stalked
on ahead, his lantern cleaning after him.
We did not say much either, \ ijah and
!. for We were tioundering through the
soft, thick falling snow, and somehow 1t