The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-04-23
AN oHTuO GRAPHIC SNAP.
Making Pretty Fair Wages Out of Nrln
kle that Not Everybody Knows.
from the Chicago Mail.

From the Chicago Mail
"How do you spell 'choir'?" inquired
short, pudgy drummer as he sat at 4
table in the writing room Of the We'd
dell House in Cleveland a few weeks
ago. There were a dozen men buslly
writing at til same table and as many
more who were reading newspapers.
The abruptness Of the question caused
the writers to pause in their work, for
the question apparently had not been
addressed to any particular Individual.
The speaker refectively nibbled the
end of a penholder while waiting for a
reply.
A gentleman Oh the opposite side OF
the table finally blurted out: "Nhat
kind of choir do you nlean?'
"Why, lot of singers in 4 church,
YOU know. \ church 'choir.''
"Q-u-i-r-e."
"Thank you"
The drummer again dipped his pen
in ink preparatory to resumlng MS
letter-writing. The other gentlemen
could scarcely conceal their mirth.
Again the writer paused to say, half
apologetica!ly: "Blamed if l could tell
how to spell it. Seemed to ME it ought
to be spelled with q C. was going
to write it 'choir.'"
This was too much fof the gravity of
the crowd, and after a hearty laugh
one of the gentlemen said: "Well, if l
were in your place I'd spell it that way
now, I think"
.Well, thought could hardly be
mistaken about it," said the puzzled
speller.
Meanwhile the gentleman who had
so kindly volunteered to spell the word
became very nervous and seemed in
clined to get angry.
''There are different ways tospell the
word 'choir,'" ne said, land it makos
ali the difference in the world whether
you are trying to spell the name OF a
body of singers in a church or certain
quantity of paper. Ifyou mean COM
pany of church singers it is 'q-u-i-r-e,
but il q quantity Of paper it -"
"Well, hardly" remarked a tlashlly
dressed New York drummer, laying
down his pen. "Iou will pardon me,
nv friend, but you're wrong. You've
got the two words mixed. 'Q-u-i---e'
spells paper Quire, and choir spells a
church choir.'
"Not by a long shot, stoutly insisted
the speller. 'Q-u-i-r-e' spells church
choir-or it used to do it when l went
to school-and I've got money right
here in my clothes which says that 1t
spells it now"
The speaker was decidedly angry,
while the rest of the crowd were rather
amused at his discontinue.
"Oh WELL" remarked the New York
er. airilv, ''it isn't worth while quarrel
ing about anyway, especially since II
can be settled so easily. If you are so
sure that 'q-u-i-r-e' spells choir, sup
pose you back up your belief by little
wagcr-say the cigars for the crowd
and we'll look in the dictionary over
wonder and end the controversy"
Pm agreed" was the hot rejolnder;
cor III bet you $, or SO, or $25 that
I'm right, and prove it by Webster,s
Unabridged Dictionary in ten seconds"
As he spoke lie pulled out rol! OF Dlils,
and the New Yorker quietly laid a so
bill on the table, which was promptly
covered.
The dictionary was brought forward.
The Gotham drummer opened the big
book and smiled like man who hnoWs
that he has ':sure thing in sight as
he turned to the word "quire" ana
commenced reading the detinition-"a
body Of singers in ashurch. See choir
The silence that fell upon that room
was unrelieved save by the rustic OF a
500 bill as it was quietly folded and
slowed away in the spoilers vest pock-
ct.