The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-01-20
A SPELLING-MATCH.

| The death of-Pandemoniuml
Madison (II1s.) Courier
A SPELLING-MATCH.
| THE lamps were just lighted in the
Town Hall, each tin reflector doing it
best to emulate the dignitied glitter OF
silver, The audience were assembling by
twos and threes Behind the green cur
tain which hid the platform a dozen boys
and as many girls stood beside table On,
which were placed the prizes for which
they were about to compete in the great
spelling -match-an event which had con-
vulsed Duxbury Corners to its center, had
set the sewing circles in a tluttcr, and
caused Webster's and Worcester's diction-
aries to take temporary rank with the
young people of the town as the most
enthralling works in the English
language. -.-
The prizes were three in number. No.
1 was of course that inevitable Rogers
group" which, for unknown reasons, is
always selected as reward for champion
| spoilers in the rural districts. No. was
"The Beauties of William Shakespeare, +"
a fat volume in red and gold binding. No.
| 8 consisted of "a Thcsaurus of English
Words" in blue and gold, gorgeous also,
but, as befitted third prize, less gorgeous
than 1.-THE Beauties of W. S." 1t was upon
the group" in gray plaster that the eyes
of the girls were most admiringly fixed; the
boys liked the books as well.
They're splendid, all of them," re-
marked little Carrie Powell. :" | do adj
mire statues so much!"
Perfectly splendid! elegant! magnifi-
cent? echoed chorus.
IL wonder who'll get the first:' asked
Daisy Lee, in a half whisper.
ooh, Ray, of course. He's taken two
first prizes Already
"My father says it isn't fair that Kay
Pelham should compete again" said John
Stackpole, in surly tone. He's the
best spellcr in this county-every one
knows that And now he ought to stand
off and give somebody else chance"
| Hes real old, too-'most nineteenn'
added little boy Of ten.
Johns right; it isn't fair. Ray
oughtnt to be in the match at ALL" cried
| two or three others.
"None of us'll have the least chance If
he is" muttered Carrie.
"Oh, but do you know, | think it is
fair" said Mary Alger. Rays the
champion now; he holds the belt. or
course he must fight everybody who tries
against him. There's always chance in
smelling. Really good spoilers are often
tripped up by some easy little word which
you'd think they could spell in min
ute.'' Mary ended with sigh, for this
had been her own fate She was really
good speller" and had twice just failed of
| prize.
She did not see Ray, who had entered
| as she began to speak. He had never
particularly noticed Mary Alger before,
She was not pretty girl, judged by the
| Duxbury standard, though an artist might
have found something to admire in the
lines of her head and throat, in the exqufs-
itely fine, pale skin and deep-set, gray
ewes. Neither was she favorite. Her
| reserve and shyncss were taken for pride,
the depression of knowing herself mis-
Judged made her awkward, and her ordi-
nary manner was cold and silent She
seldom made so long a speech as on this
occasion. And the girls opened their eyes
| ~ znI leo
He was not stupid boy, and it dawned
| upon him that it was an impulse of gener-
Gus Justice in his behalf which had un-
locked the lips of this usually tongue-tied
Mary, and her face for the first time
struck HIM as pretty.
| The other girls chartered on, but Mary
had said her say, and stood silently look
ing at the plaster group. Ray saw that
she admired it intensely, and half wish
crossed his mind that she might win it
only half one, for to the successful sue
cess becomes Indispensable, and the de-
sire to be first was very strong upon the
ambitious young fellow. Presently an
avalanche of camp-chairs, followed by a
procession Of squeaking boots, announced
| the arrival of the Committee of Refer
ence" The boys and girls ranged them
selves in parallel rows. MIR. Ashe, Prin-
clpal of the academy, appeared with a
formidable manuscript roll in his hand
| The curtain rose; the audience clapped
"Now, my young friends, l beg that you
will speak as distinctly as possible" said
Mr.. Ashe. With that he consulted his
roll, and gave out the first word, "hippo-
potamus,' and the strife commenced.
| 'Twere vain to tell what steeds gave DER
As swept the fight "a
over the photographed plain; how an
elderly youth of some sixty summers,
with preconceived theory as to the word
"Indian, !" which he rendered thus: "I-n-
fj-u4n," was the first victim, and tiny
girl of six the second; how 'aneurism'
| slew its thousands, phlebotomy" Its
! tens of thousands; how May Martin fell
victim to .scaries," and Augustus Brown
was borne off protesting that "appella-
ton" had but one in it. Traps and pit
falls aboundcd. Slowly the ranks thinned
the vanquished, fndingwhat comfort 6aq,
could in numbers, lined the wings, ap-
plaudmg and jeering their late comrades.
At last Mary Alger was left the only girl,
topposed to three boys, of whom Ray was
one. Five minutes, tent seemed as
| though neither Of the four would ever
miss. The excitement became intense.
- + rI-Ll-e-g 1g-i-ble,''s spelled Mr.. John
BEACH. SO ~ q
~rr's Wrong, said Mr. Ashe; and John,
crestfallen, creaked his way off the stage.
Each Of the three competitors now left was
sure of a prize. The question was, which
prize9