The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-09-25

.My way of pernouucin' may not be
quite up to what you've been used to.
scholars" with significant recognition
of the more cultivated style of the law
student from Briggsville, "but I'll due
the best kin, an if you don't under
stand any word all you hat to due is
MOTTO tackle it ontil you due. an don't
be any ways bashful beout havin' 1t
give out agin."
In half an hour more the curious
words which the Deacon had managed
to find secreted in old McGuffey had
thinned the ranks until but single
speller remained on each side. Soon
one of these, in the excitement IT the
contest, interjected superauous "h''
into .exorbitant" and sank into shame
faced obscurity with the instant dis
covery of her mistake.
The second spell down after recess
was held more important than the first
in that the capacity of the contestants
had been somewhat tested and they
could be more evenly matched. Mr..
Joel Douglass, himself an ex-teacher.
"gave OUT for awhile, leaving the
teacher in charge tho honor OF the
closing. There was an evident tensity
of feeling as the contest deepened that
was not observable before recess. Each
speller endeavored to be careful and
self possessed and to bring no avoid
able disaster upon his or her side.
Nearly half the spoilers were down
when Mr.. Douglass pleaded WEAKNESS
and turned the book over to Mr.. Frost.
breakfast" was the word he gave
out next and it was "Big Bilr' Bru-
bakers turn.
~"B-r-e-c-k, brek, fast fast, break
fast" he sang out with the prompt con-
fidence of easy mastery. But before
the word was all out of his mouth
pretty Ruth Turner, on the other side,
snapped it up with "b-r-e-a-k, break.
feast, fast, for breakfast" and as
instantly Lucinda Sweet, standing next
to Bill, took it back from Ruth by
spelling it correctly, amid an enthusi-
asm at the rapid and brilliant work
that could not be wholly repressed.
Ruth sat down in confusion of morti-
tication which mantled her checks and
suffused her eyes at thought of her
foolish mistake, and the teacher pal
liatingly suggested:
.You see, Miss Ruth, it isn't break
ing ones feast, but breaking ones
fast"
1t was noticed, however, that Bill
Brubaker had not sat down, as the
perception of his failure should have
led him to do, but remained stolidly
standing in spite of the efforts of those
around him to pull him down.
II didn't understand the word, no
how" he said, sullenly.
Didn't understand itr' the teacher
exclaimed. "How could you help un
derstanding it? You knew what the
, word meant, hope"
At this sally of Briggsville wit, there
was general litter of derision from
the other side, which added to Bill
discontinue.
"You said breck, not brake" he de
. clared, recklessly, "an' speltit as 70,
, give it out. l reckon l know how t,
spell brake as well as any on EN-"
"You fairly missed the word" tn
, teacher said, decisively, and you mus
] take your seat like the rest, Mr.. Bru
, baker" Even the exceptional homo
] implied in this deferential address di,
not wholly appease Bills wounded van
ity.
3 "Tll take it if l waunt tew. an no
$ otherwise" he muttered, sinking dow
l with an ugly scowl on his face.
l Big Bill was hardly a third.rat
speller at best, and usually was anon!
\ the first to go down, but his unprece
/, denied good fortune at keeping on hi!
Q feet so long had imbued him with
E staggering Confidence in his power
: and induced the vain hope OF a possibl
y emergence as one of the champions G
4 the contest.
, When the spelling was finished an
s the preliminary preparations of bund
: ling up, blowing out the candles, AM
lighting the hickory-bark torches pre-
n vided for lighting the homeward wa
v were going forward amid much cor
= fusion and merriment, two of tn
Y smaller boys drew the teacher aside t.
Il say with bated breath:
= Say, master, Big Bills threat'nir
g of you an sayin''t he kin lick tn
!, boots often you an not hat try, nuther.
: They wished such at least was tn
If pretense-to put the master on hi
r guard against possible surprise.
It "You tell Big BILL the master sal
n quietly as he went on completing hi
d preparations for departure, "that
say he's a bully and a coward, an
e that if he wants any thing of me b
" can be accommodated in mighty shor
order"
g The boys carried such a messag
h with proud alacrity, as what boy
" would not? The version that reache
" Bills ears outside moment later We
D. something like this:
o 9TH master says It you're COVER
q an'-an" (the other term was not !
ID familiar use at the Corners) -"whs
was it, Jim?"
"a bully" Jim declared from car
id fully-stored memory.
$ "Ya-as. An 'tef YOU want any thin