The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-01-14
SPELLiNG-SCH0OL MASH.

''About the worst | was ever bothered
in my life, boys" said old Jake Palmer,
as he leaned against his favorite lamp
post, surrounded by his fayorite crowd
of listeners, was the time l took Miriam
dy Westbrook home from spelling
school,
Here he stopped and waited for a
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 it?' asked a by
stander.
III tell YOU" said Jake. You see
l hadn't ever gone with girl before
and 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 60
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 | couldn' t
hardly spell, trembled 50. They give
me the word 'meaner' to spell and |
thought it was 'Mirandy' and it made
me blush fearfully; / thought it was g
put up job to make me spell her name.
l 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 knew I'd have it
to do sometime, and l might as we'll
commence first as last. can't say Just
how did spell it, but l know they
whooped and yelled for about five min
utes all over the house. think spelled
it Observation-Disclosures and then !
forgot and pronounced her whole name,
'Mirandy Wcstbrook' Great Cesar,
they liked to have split my ears with
their hollerin' and yellin'. Well, /
spruced up and looked as brave as
could over it, and aftera while we were
| dismissed. Ike, he came over and said,
'Now's Yer chance, Jake. Shes standin'
all alone by herself up yonder.' !
| wanted to hit him then, for | thought he
was to blame about that word, but was
afraid to get into a rumpus forfear that
| would spoil my chances for seein' Mi
randy home, so SHE'D up to her as easy
as | could and said, Ike Walker saws
there's chance for me TO see YOU home
tonight. How is ito''
- i told him you might go, If YOU I
come and ask me about it Yourself she
| answered.
Well, SEE /. I've come and asked
YOU, haven't u and she said / had, anC
it was all right, but | must promise one
| ~ hot Lot bn,.
and ma know it, for they didn't low hel
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 hel
that there wasn't any danger of MT
calm her pa up out of bed to tell hin
about seem his oldest girl home, so she
and linked arms and started. If the
boys did some tall hollerin' when
missed that word, it was nothin' to The
terrific yellin' they done when Mrandy
and me passed out of the door 1t wa
worse than the day of Judgment. Aftel
we had gone on little ways Mirandl
said I'd get used to it after a while an(
wouldn't mind it. Is'pose she mean
the hollerin', bat I'd sooner have sworn
off than gone through with it again
After we got good piece away from tn,
school house we'd have cot along first
rate if it hadn't been for some kids abou
ten years old that was goin' the sam
road, and kept COIN over some rhyme
or other about me, such as
Mr. Palmer
| You must not alarm her