Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1891-05-01
JERRY LEE.

jerry Lee ana were dlluOSl luStp
arabic v hen we were boys. His faith
er's farm joined my fathers. We were
almost the same age. studied the same
books, and sat together at school.
Our tastes were similar. Both Of us
intended to be farmers when we were
men.
Jerry was not exactly handsome
boy. He was small, shock-headed,
freckle-faced and poorly dressed, for
his parents were far from rich. Some
people thought he had IA stupid look;
but he was not at all stupid, and was
"a healthy, excellent fellow.
As companions Jerry and | went to
and from school together, and to-
gether to the spelling and singing
schools or to the literary societies
held in the school-houses in our neigh
bOrhood.
The w:nte: we were fifteen years old
we made something that | suppose
Ciu Dt COIltClIl Noi''N q 'N'iio'N' 80
which to ride to and from these win
ter evening entertainments, and to
use when we went to town on Satur-
day afternoons.
There was generally good sleighing
from December to March in the re
gion in which we lived, and Jerry aud
| were very proud of our cutter as
we called it, when it was done. al
though | do not think either of us
would care to be seen in it to-day on
the streets of the cities III which we
live.
But now, after the lapse of years,
when Jerry and are boys no longer,
it is a pleasure TO think Of the merry,
free-from-care times we had in the
clumsy, uncouth old sled, then so dear
to our boyish hearts.
The runners Of the cutter had been
hewn out of solid oak plank, while the
upper part was made of a large dry
goods box painted red and green, with
an attempt at a border Of yellow roses
around the centre of the box.
When Jerry and | were seated in
this elegant and certainly striking
turnout. the tops of our heads were
just visible above the top Of the box,
which was somewhat lower in front
than Oehlnd.
With foot or more OF clean, dry
straw in the bottom OF the box, and
three or four buffalo skins wrapped
around us, Jerry's fathers old horse
Ned" would draw us along the road,
across frozen streams and through
long lanes much to our delight. am
sure our laughing and singing must
have been heard inmany farmhouse
on those cold winter evening rides.
One evening, after school, as we
were about TO separate at our gate,
Jerry said
Let's go to the spelling-school at
the Long Lane School-house tonight.
Can your
Yes, if fathers willing" | replied.
with the readiness with which | al
ways fell in with JerFy's suggestions.
The sleighing is fine, and there is a
full moon. 1t will be just the night
for a ride. Besides, we will show
those Lane boys and girls how to
spell, and stop their boasting.
Jerry was what is sometimes called
natural speiier;' tha; l., ne seemed
almost intultivtly to know how to
spell the most difficult words, for he
never spent much time in memorizing
them. Indeed, he could in an hour
commit TO memory list Of words
could not perfectly learn in several
hours of patient ana careful study.
He was the best spellerin our school,
and had had the honor of spelling
down" half a dozen schools in our
neigh borhood.
But the Long Lane School had not
yet been added TO Jerry's list of victo-
ries.
The Long Lane district was u new
one, made by dividing large dis
trict. \ school-house much hand
somer than any other in our town
ship had been built, in consequence
OF which the Long Lane boys and girls
were very proud, and had done deal
of boasting that was not pleasantly
received by the pupils in other dis
tricts.
The speIling-school to be held this
evening would be the first in the new
school-nou.e. and was likely, on that
account. TO be Of unusual interest.
A saucy message had been sent to
our school in the morning TO come
over and try our hand st spelling
the Long Lane school down, if We
wanted TO .'be beaten ell hollow"
There were several reasons why our
school did not care to accept tue chal-
lenge at that time, although We in
tended TO make the trial little later.
was, therefore. surprised when
Jerry proposed that We should go
alone. since he knew well that would