The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-01-22
The Spelling Bee at Angels.
REponrEn by TRurHFuL JAMES.

and hear yarn from me-
kin not sling fairy tale of Jinny's fierce
and wild,
For hold it is unchristian to deceive sim
But as from school yer driftin' by I thowt ye'd
like to hear
OF "Spellin' Bee" at Angels that we organ
lied last year
It warn't made up of gentle kids-of pretty
But gents as had their regular growth, and
some enough for two.
There WOE Lanky jim of Shutters Fork and
Bison of Lagrange, 80.
And "Pistol Bob" who wore that day knife
You start w" YOU little Kids, you think these are
B.t each b' had a man behind it, and-my name
is Truthful James. |
Thar was Poker Dick from Whiskey Flat and |
Smith of Shooters Bend, |
And Brown OF CalaVeras-"hlch "an' no
better friend. ,
Three fin eered Jack-yes, pretty dears-three
fngers-ycu have five,
Clamp cut off two-it's singular too, that Clapp
Twas very wrong, indeed, my dear, and Clapp
was much to blame; -,
Likewise was Jack, in after years, for shootin'
of that same.
The nights was kinder lengthenin' out, the
when al the a" camn came up to Pete's to have
Rnt we All sot kinder sad-like round the bar
room stove - 49,,
Till Smith cot up, permiskiss-like, and this
.sTbor,s q naw came down in Frisco, that ez
Beats euchre, poker and van-toon, they calls
the Spellin' Bee,'
Then Brown of Calaveras simply hitched his
char ndspake:
"PoKer is good enough for" ana LanKy Jim
seq, "shake!"
And Bob allowed he warn't proud, but he
"must say right thar
That the man who tackled euchre he'd his ed
ucatiOn squar.'
This brought up Lenny Falrchlld, the school-
master, who said,
He knew the game and he would give in
structiOns on that head.
s'For instance, take some simple word" SEE
seq he, like separate"
Now who can spell it"' Dog my skin, ct thar
was one in eight,
This ses the boys all wild at once. The chairs
were put in row.
And at the head was Lanky Jim, and at the
foot was Joe,
oSAOoA AAA~~o
ter was raised,
And the bar-keep put his glasses down, ani
sat and silent gazeds
The first word out was parallel" and sever
let it be,
Till Joe waltzed in his double opp betwixet
the "a'' and Sc"
For since he drilled them Mexicans in Sal
Jacinto's fight,
Tha warn't no prouder man man got up thai
Pistol Joe that night,
Tin"rhythm" came! He tried to smile, thel
said, they had him there"
And Lanky jim, with one long stride, got u
and took his chair.
@ little kids my pretty kids, twas touchi7
These bearded men with weppons on, lik
school boys at their play.
THEY'D laugh with glee and shout to see eac
other lead the van,
And Bob sat up as monitor Win cue 1or
rattan,
Till the chair gave out "incinerate," an
Brown said he'd be burned
If any such blamed word as that in schot
was ever learned.
When ssphthisis" came they all sprang VI
and vowed the man who rung
Another blamed Greek word on them be take
out aud hung.
As they sat down again saw in Bilson's e.
flash,
And Brown of Calaveras was a-tWlstln b
mustache,
And when at last Brown slipped on "gneiss
and Bilson took his chair,
He dropped some casual words about son
folks who dyed their hair.
And then the ChAir grew very white, and t
Chair said he'd adjourn.
But Poker Dick remarked that he would WI
and get his turn;
Then with trembling voice and hand, al
with a wanderin' eye
The Chair next offered 'eide-duck," and Di
began with 81"
And Bison smiled then Bilson shrieke
Just how the fight begun
never knowed, for Bilson dropped Di
ne moved up one.
Then certain gents arose and said "they' d blu
ness down in camp"
And "ez the road was rather dark, and ez
night was damp,
They'd"-hereg got up Three-fngered ia
and locked the door and yelled:
No, not one mothers son goes GU; till Il
thar word is spelled!'
But while the words were on his lips,
groaned and sank in pain,
And sank with Webster on his chest 8
Worcester on his brain.
Below the bar lodged Poker Dick and tr
to look ez he
Was huntin' up authorities that no one e
could see;
And Brown got down behind the stove allt
in he Twas cold"
Till it upset and down his legs the cind
freely rolled,
And several gents called "Order" till in
simple way
Poor Smith began with 80" "R"-"or''-s
he was dragged away.
O, little kids, my pretty kids. down on "
knees and pray!
You've got your eddication in peaceful S
of way;
a And bear in mind thar may be sharps
sings their spellin' square,
But likewise sings their bowie-knives wi
out thought or care
You wants to know the rest, my dears? TIL
all! In me you see
The only gent that lived to tell about &
Spellin' Bee!
He ceased and passed, that thruthful m
the children went their way
With oowncast heads and downcast hear
but not to sport or play
For when at eve the lamps were lit and