The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1878-11-06
The Spelling Bee at Angels.

EOuuu my hhoof
Aud drop them books aad frst pot-hooks, and
hear yarn from me.
kin not sling q fairy tale Of Jinny's fierce and
wild,
For hold it unchristisn to deceive simple
child
Bat as from school yer driftn by l thowt ye'd
like to hear
OF "spellin Bee at Angels that we organ
lied last year.
1t warnt made up Of gentle kids-of pretty
kids-like you,
But gents eg he'd their regular growth, and
some enough for two.
There woz Lauky Jim OF Suffers Fork and
Bilson of Lagrange,
And " Pistol Bob" who wore that day knife
by way Of change.
You start you little kids, you think these are
not pretty namep,
But each had man behind it, and-my name
is Truthful James.
Thar was Poker Dick from Whisky Flat and
Smith OF Shooters Bend,
And Brown Of Calaveras-which want no
better friend.
Tbree-hngered Jsck-yes, pretty dears-three
hngers-you have ive
ClIpp cut of two--it's. .singlar too, that Clapp
amt now alive.
Twas verys wrong, indeed, my dears, and
Clapp was much TO blame
Likewise was Jack, in after years, for shootin'
OF that same.
The nights we're kinder lengthenin' out, the
rains had jest begun,
When all the camp came mp to Pete's to have
their usual fun
But we all sot kinder sad.like around the bar
room stove
Till Smith got up, permisskiss-like and this
remark he hove;
''Thar's a new game down in Frisco, ttfet eE
far ez can see,
Beats euohre, poker and van n.toon, they calls
the 'epellin Bee."
Then Brown Of Calavsrss simply hitched his
chair and spake
Poker Is good enough for me-" and Lanky
jim ses, Shake ~
Aud Bob allowed he warnt proud, but he
'must say right thar
That the man who tackled euchre he'd his edu-
cation spar"
This brought mp Lsnny Fairctild, the school
master, who said,
He knew the game and be would give instruo-
tions on that head.
" For instance, take some simple word" sez
he, " like SEPARATE
Now who can spell 2" Dog my skin, of thar
was one in eight.
This set they boys all wild at once. The chairs
was put in row,
And at the head was Lanky jim, and at the
foot was Joe,
And high upon the br itself the school-mas-
ter was raised,
Aud the bar-keep put his glasses down. and
sat and silent gazed.
The first word out was "parallel," and seven
let it be,
TIL ice wsltsed in his double al = betwixt the
a"and "e"
For, since he drilled them Mexicans in San
Jacintos fight,
Taar warnt no prouder man got up than Pistol
Joe that night
Till rhythm" camel He tried to smile,
then said, " they had him there"
And Lanky Jim, with one long stride got up
and took his chair.
On little kids my pretty kids, twas touching
to survey
Those bearded men, with weppings on, ike
school boys at their play.
They'd laugh with glee, and shout to see each
other lead the van,
And Bob sat up as monitor with cue for a
rattan.
Till the chair gave " inclnerate," and Brown
said he'd be burned
II any such blamed word as that in school was
ever learned.
When phthisis came they all sprang up
and vowed the man who rung
Another blamed Greek word on them be taken
ont and hung.
As they sat down again saw in Bilson's eye =
flash,
And Brown Of Calaveras was a-twisting his
mustache
Aud when at last Brown slipped on "gneiss "
and Bilson took his chair,
He dropped some casual words about some
folks who dyed 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 his turn;
Then with q tremblin' voice and hand, and
with a wanderin' eye,
The Chair next ogered " elder duck, !" and Dick
began with "I",
And Bison smiled - then Bilson shrieked
Just how the fight begun
never knowed, for Bilson dropped and Dick
he moved up one.
Then certain gents arose and said they'd bus
mess down in camp"
And " e2 the road was rather dark, and ez the
night was damp,