Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1878-11-14
THE SPELLING BEE AT ANGELS.
REPORTED BY TRUTHFUL JAMES.


And drop them books and first pot-hooks, and hear
kin not sing fairy tale of Jinnys fierce and wild,
For hold it is unchristian to deceive simple child
But from school your driftin' by thowt ye'd like
OF "spellin' Bee" at Angels that we organized last
year.
1twa-nt made up of gentle kids-or pretty
But gents ez he'd their regular growth and enough
for two.
There woz Lanky Jim of Suffers Fork and Bilson OF
And Pistol Bob" who wore that day knife by way
You start you little kids you think these are not pref
But each had man behind it, and-my name is
Truthful James.
There was Poker Dick from Whskey Flat and Smith
of Shooters Bend,
And Brown or Calaveras- which want no better
friend.
Three-hngered Jack-yes pretty dears-three fingers
clapp cut off two-lts singlar too, that capp amt
Twas very wrong, indeed, my dears, and Clapp was
much to blame;
Likewise Jack in after years. for shOOn' o. that
same.
The nights woz kinder lengthenin' out the rains had
When all camp came up to Pete's to have their usual
fun;
Till Smith got up, permisskiss-lke, and this remark
'Thar's game down in Frisco, thet ez far ez I
Beats enchre, poker and van-toon, they calls the
"Spelln Bee."
Then Brown of Caaveras simply hitched his chair and
P0ke Sss i Soea enough for me-" and I'pky Jim ssz
And Bob allowed he warn't proud, but he "must say
right thar,
That the man who tackled Euchre had his education
sQuar."
This brought up Lenny Farchild, the school-master
who said,
He knew the game and he would give instruction on
that head.
"For instance, take simple word," sez he 'like
separate
Now who spell it," Dog my skin, eff thar woz one
in eight
This set the boys all wild at once. The chairs woz
put in row,
And at the head was Lanky Jim, and at the foot was
And high upon the bar itself the schoolmaster was
And the bar.keep put his glasses down. and sat and
silent gazed.
The first word out was parallel" and seven let it be-
Till Joe waltzed in his double 81" betwxt the "a and
For since s, he drilled them Mexcans in San Jacntos
Thar Tasn't no prouder man got up than Pistol Joe
Till rhythm" came! He tried to smile, then said
they had him there"
And Lanky Jim with one long stride got up and took
Oh, little kids my pretty kids, twas touchin to
vey
Those bearded men, with weppings on, like school
They'd laugh with giee, and shout to see each other
lead the van,
And Bob sat up as monitor with queu fer rattan,
Till the chair gave out ncinerate, and Brown said
If any such blamed word as that in school was eyer
learned. |
When 'phthisis came they all sprang up, and vowed
the man who rung
Another blamed Greek word them be taken out and
As they sat down again, saw in Bisons eye flash,
And Brown of Calaveras was twistin his mustache,
He dropped some casual words about some folks who
died their hair.
And then the Chair grew very white, and the Chair
said he'd adjourn.
But Poker Dick remarked that he would wait and get
Then with a tremblin' voice and hand, and with
The Chair next offered 'eder-duck,' and Dick began
And Biison smiled-then Bilson shrieked! Just how
never knowed, for Bilson dropped and Dick he NOV
ed up one.
Then certain gents arose and said, they'd business
i
And the road was rather dark, and ez the night
r, was damp,
rheyd-here got up Three-fngered Jack and locked
,, the door and yelled:
No. not mothers son goes out till that thar word
is spelled"
But while the words were on his lips he groaned and
sank In pain,
And sank with Webster on his breast and Worcester
on his brain.
Below the bar lodged Poker Dick, and tried to look
Was hnnt;n, nm ttot NJ. ann olao conld soo
And Brown got down behind the stove al0wfn he was
,,,, cold,
it upset. and down hislegs the cnders freely rolled
And several gents called Order till In his simple
, way, .
Poor Smith began with o. R'-'or'-and he was
dragged away.
~ little kids! my pretty kids, down on your knees
and pray.
You've got your eddication in peaceful, quet way;