Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1883-11-10
SPELLING.SCHOOL MASH.


11About the worst was ever bothered
in my life, boys" said old Jake Palmer,
as he leaned against his favorite lamp
post, surrounded by his favorite crowd
of listeners, ''was the time took Miriam
dy Westbrook home from spelling
school,"
Here he stopped and waited for
solicitation to continue the story, for old
Jake was man who wouldn't thrust
the stories of his youthful adventures
upon the public without being requested.
"Well, how was itp" asked by
stander.
"I'll tell YOU" said Jake. "You see
! hadn't ever gone with girl before,
and l wouldn't have gone that time if
one of my chums hadn't asked her in
my place, first. Ike Walker, he asked
her If she wouldn't let Jake Palmer 90
home with her that night, and she said
she would if he'd ask her himself, SO
Ike, he came and told me what she said
and then there was no way for me to
get out of it. This happened at recess,
and after recess was over l couldn't
hardly spell, l trembled so. They give
me the word 'meaner' to spell and l
thought it was 'Mirandy' and it made
me blush fearfully; / thought it was a
put up job to make me spell her name.
/ thought Ike had given me away, and
/ made up my mind to lick him after
SEEM Mirandy safe home. l made a
pass at the word, for l knew I'd have it
to do sometime, and l might as well
commence first as last. | cant say just
"a L,,< II 10,
whooped and yelled for about five min
utes all over the house. think spelled
it 'M-i-r-a-double-n-d-a-y' and then /
forgot and pronounced her whole name,
'Mirandy Westbrook'. Great Cesar!
they liked to have split my ears with
their hOllerin' and yellin'. Well, /
spruced up and looked as brave as l
could over It, and after while we were
dismissed Ike, he came over and said,
'Now's yer chance, Jake. She's standin'
all alone by herself up yonder.' /
wanted to hiC him then, for i thought he
was to blame ABOUT that word, butt was
afraid to get inSo a rnmpus forfear that
would spoil my chances for seem Mi
randy home, SO Ishied up to her as easy
as could and said, Ike Walker says
there's chance for me to see you home
tonight. How is itp''
81 told him you might go, If you'd
come and ask me about it yourself, she
answered.
".Well, SEE l, I've come and asked
you, haven't Up and she said had, and
it was all right, but 1 must promise one
thing and that was never to let her pa
and ma know it, for they didn't low her
to have company, and her pa didn't like
me very well anyhow for THROWN
stone and KILN one of his hogs the day
they got into our corn-feld. told her
that there wasn't any danger of me
calm her pa up out of bed to tell him
about SEEM his Oldest girl home, so she
and linked arms and started. Ii the
boys did some tall hollerin' when /
missed that word, it was nothin' to the
terrific yellin' they done when Mirandy
and me passed out of the door. 1t was
worse than the day of Judgment. After
we had gone on a little ways Mirandy
said I'd get used to it after while and
wouldn't mind it. / s'pose she meant
the hollerin', but I'd sooner have sworn
off than gone through with it again.
After we gotta good piece away from the
school house we'd have got along first-
rate if it hadn't been for some kids about
ten years old that was goin' the same
road, and kept goin' over some rhyme
or other about me, such as
"'Mr. Palmer
You must not alarm her
By askin her to marry $50.
Such poor farmer
And
"'Bandly-legged Jake
Stole piece of cake
And was beaten with a stake
And all such silly nonsensical rhymes
they kept botherin' us with, till turned
round and was goin' to ketch two of
them and bump their heads together,
but Mirandy told me to come on and
not be such calf as to mind them.
hardly knew what to think of that, but
I guess 1t was through her love for me