Oxford Democrat., 1893-03-07
GREENWOOD.

Since what few locals there are thii
week will keep over tlll next without
growing stale, and a Master Bicknelri
name has not been mentioned for some
time, we will relate an incident or two
In connection with that good man. Pos.
sibly they may be a. Interesting ~ or
dinary locals and are strictly true.
On o shelf not far OF is box contain.
Ing the word coffee In large pictorial
letters, aud the way Mr.. Davis, my
self and several others learned how TO
spell that word about 80 years ago Is
somewhat novel to say the least. The
school was large, and the first class ex-
tended the whole length Of the back
seat and part Of the one In front, besides
being made up OF young men and
women. While that class was spelling
one day Mr.. Bicknell put out tho word
coffee, which proved to be q poser; 1t
went nearly through the class and was
spelled In every imaginable way except
the right one before one Of the class hap
pened to ''catch on" II caused q good
deal of merriment In the schoOlroom,
and the teacher advised them not to
drink another cup Of coffee until they
learned how to spell the word. Mr.
Davis and myself were too young to be
In the class, but old enough TO learn
how to spell coffee.
Ny sister Amanda was about two
years older than myself, and although
small Of her age was q pretty smart
scholar. One day while Mr.. Blcknell
was boarding In our family he said to
her, isis, do you suppose you can spell
Constantinopley" C III guess so, at least !
I can try" was the answer. swell, !"
said the teacher, "let me hear you; spell
Il slow, and as II is q pretty long word
yOu needn't mind about prOnouncing
the syllables as you go along; now begin
slow, remember" "C-O-n-s-t-a-n-t-F'
.sno," said the teacher. Thinking she
must have made mistake she commenc-
ed again, and just as she pronounced the
letter I 'po", exclaimed the teacher "a
before; but this time she saw the catch
aud went along with her spelling,
said she. "That's right"
replied the teacher, "you are a good
speller, and rather think you will make
a school teacher yet"
How near he came to being correct will
seen by the two following certificates
which are In my possession:
HARTFORD, May 30, lsi5.
This may certify that Miss Amanda
Dunham Is approved OF as teacher In
District No. Is.
LEWIS W. cnnp, seSfGl of iIsT.fupd. sGm%a.''e
This may certify that the bearer,
Miss Amanda Durham Of this town is
qualified to instruct In the several
branches OF education usually taught In
our primary schools as the Law OF this
State requires.
( Superin'ending
IoHs LAnHAHrr' Committee %.T.iSss. Of
Hartford, May -, 1916.
How many schools she taught ! do not
know, but she had the reputation OF
,eing n good teacher.
Wednesday, Msrch 1, 1893. And
never did this date present such rich
md charming appearance to one OF your
lcribes at least; for since the month just
BORN bears the ''gentle name OF spring"
xe will call Il so aud thus take twenty
laws stride ahead OF the almanac. This
Yeats all, the Oldest inhabitant never
Jaw anything like II, and Kindred
,hrases are always heard during very
vet or dry seasons, as well as when cold
,r hot snaps are upon US, and are to be
aiken for what they are worth. But
aging aside everything that sayors OF
oking for the moment and looking back
O the middle of December, We see the
ongest stretch OF steady cold weather
hat there has been since the ushering In
4 the nineteenth century. Many people
ave frozen TO death aud untold suffer-
ng endured. Nor has the cold been
onflned to this part Of the world, but
las extended through northern Europe
nd Asia, thus encircling the globe.
The town Of Greenwood IL In the form
4 an oblong square, and Is about ten
niles long, and four wide. All the
lines are now nearly straight,
'ut when John Littlefeld gets set of on
o Woodstock, as he will during the
,resent legislature, II will make u notch
n the east side OF the town the size oil
lr. Littlefeld's farm.
Mother Coffin IL losing her mental
aculties, her cancer rapidly growing
more malignant, and TO all appearance
Ter earthly pilgrimage will soon end.
he celebrated her Goth birthday two
ears ago the 9th day Of last October.