Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-05-13
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short, pudgy drummer as he sat at
table in the writing room of the Weddell
House in Cleveland few weeks ago.
There We're dozen men busily writing
at the same table and as many more
who We're reading newspapers. The
abluptness of the question caused the
writers TO pause in their work, for the
question apparently had not been ad-
dressed 10 any particular individual.
The speaker refectively nibbled the end
of a pen holder while waiting for reply.
gentleman on the opposite side Of
the table finally blurted outs @What
kind of choir do YOU meanp"
why, a lot of singers in church.
you know. A church choir"
"Q-u-i-r-e.
Thank you."
The drummer again dipped his pen in
ink preparatory to resuming his letter
writing. The osher gentlemen could
scarcely conceal their mirth. Again the
writer paused to say, half apologetically
sBlamed if could tell how to spell it.
Seemed TO me it ought TO be spelled with
a C. was going to write it choir"
This was too much for the gravity Of
the crowd, and after hearty laugh one
of the gentlemen said: well, If were
in your place I'd spell it that way now,
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 be-
came very nervous and seemed inclined
to get angry.
"There are different ways to spell the
word choir, he said, "and it makes all
the difference IN the world whether you
are trying to spell the name of a body os
singers in a church or a certain quantity
of paper. If you mean a company Of
church singers it is 'q-u-i-r-e.' but IL a
quantity of paper"
We'll, hardly" remarked q fiashily
dressed New York drummer, laying down
his pen. you will pardon me, my
friend, but you're wrong. You've got
the two words mixed. .Q-u-i-r-e' spellsa
paper quire, and 'c-h-o-i-r' spells church
choir.
Not by long shot. stoutly insisted
the speller. 'Q-u-i-r-e' spells church
choir-or it used to do il when went to
school-and I've got money right her. Il
my clothes which says that it spell
now"
Thespeaker was decidedly angry, willis
the rest of the crowd were rather amused
at his discontinue
"Oh. well, remarked the New Yorker
airily, lit isn't worth while quarreling
about any way, especially since it can he
settled so easily. If you are so sure that
'q-u-i-r-e' spells choir, suppose you back
up your belief by little wager-say the
cigars for the crowd-and wen look in
the dictionary over yonder and end the
controversy
I'm agreed, was the hot rejoinder;
aor I'll bet you s. on $40 or $s5 that I'm
right, and prove it by Webster's Una
bridged Dictionary in ten seconds" AS
he spoke he pulled out roll of bills, and
the New Yorker quietly laid a $50 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 knows
"sure thing in sight as he turned TO the
the definition-"a body of singers in
church. See choir. I"
The silence that fell upon that room
was unrelieved save by the rustic of a
$50 bill as it was quietly folded and
slowed away in the spoilers pocket.
A week later, as was enjoying cigar
In the lobby of the Riggs House at Indi-
annapolis was startled by hearing a IA
miliar voice exclaim: How do you spell
choir?" CHANGING hastily around was
surprised to see at one of the writing
tables the identical gentleman whose ig-
norance had caused such commotion at
Cleveland concerning that very word.
Looking closer / was equally surprised
TO find near him the benevolent gentle
man who had kindly volunteered to spell
the word for him at Cleveland and who
gained $50 by doing so. Approaching
the scene of battle took seat where /
could observe the subsequent proceedings.
and within one minute the Cleveland
performance had been duplicated, the
suit of his acumen.
Accosting the winner, said quietly:
II see that you spell choir now in just
the same way that you did the other day
at Cleveland.
Yes, y he replied, that's pretty good
way to spell it anywhere. 1t has netted
my partner here and me about $50 day
for the last two months. 1t works nine
times out of ten, and we take no risks,
you see. 1t is the best snap ever struck
and used TO work with some Of the
slickest boys in the country, too.
But, he added confidentially, aif you
ever try it you'd better keep both eyes
open, or you'll miss connection with the
dictionary. You can find choir spelled
and defined under the word 'quire' in
sWebster's unabridged only. Even
Webster had an edition of 1891 called
the international Unabridged which
reads 'quire-see choir without giving
any definition
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