The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-02-22

WIN Etftat uA VII niou WIS ttA1H htht IVY
long tn walls an banked up on top Of
one mother at tn back On one side Of
th' platform, setting on bench long un-
der tn black board, was tn 10 best sohol
ars Of TIL Happy Grove school, led by John
Unison. He was smilin an confident an
gain longin at Hannah elders, who was
ON one Of tn front scats an 'penrod rather
nervous. He was all logged out in new
Prince Albert coat fer her benefit
Il was standin be tn stove ineltin the
snow off mo boots when he'd q few words
with Quincy Muthersbaugh. He seemed
Jest little excited, but lowed ct 'ud
come out all right. Then he took his
place with his 10 scholars ON tn other
side TIL platform, an tn proceedln' IS begin.
Teacher Long from over in Lemon
township called out tn words from spell
CT, while mo an another Teller kop' tally.
Tho first word give out was soupeny, an
Quincy missed ct. He spelled ct s-u-p-o-
ma. Jest felt sick when marked down
one again his sido. Unison took her,
spelled her all right an commenced ter
smile. Muthersbaugh looked solemn.
Tho Teller mex on his side spelled super
sedcns correct while the man mex John
Unison missed approximation, an then
Happy Grove and Kishikoquillas was even.
They KEEP tibet up an hour an a half, an l
tell yer ct was most excitin ter see them
trained spoilers battlin. When they quit,
Happy Grove he'd two less misses then
Kishikoquillas. Unison commenced ter
smile triumphant, but Quincy didn't do
nothin 'cept set there quietlike.
After q recess of ten minutes they be-
gin ter spell down. All tn scholars linod
up in row, an whenever one missed
word they had ter go set In tn audience.
They spelled an spelled tell final they was
no one left but Quincy Muthersbauah m
John Unison, jest standin there glarin at
each other an singin out letters FIT was
a grand sight. Hannah Ciders was pale
and trcmblin, fer she knowed tn vally
of an Idle word then. Tn aud 'ence was
most stretchin their necks outen joint,
they was SO interested. Two lamps went
out, an no one fixed 'em. TIL air was
jest blue with tn steam made DO tn snow
meltin off the fellers' boots, and tn stove
begin ter smoke, an the room was suffocat-
In, but no one thot ter put up u winder,
tn excitement was So bad.
"SGch words as penultimate, concatcna-
ton, pentatcuch an silhouette come dead
easy to them teachers. They keep glarin
ct each other an spelling like their life de-
pended ON ct Poor Longs voice got
weaker an weaker a. givin out words. 1
was thet nervous couldhartily see. They
spelled all tn atoms and entions, all TIL
words endin in ism, die and ness, tell ct
seemed they used up TIL book. Quincy
was Rettin more excited. Jimison's knees
was tremblin visible.
Then Long give out roryboryallus. You
could "a heard pin drop in thot room.
Unison he began slow as IL ct was dead
easy, 'A-r-o-r-a, aurora Dor, aurora Dor,
calls, aurora borealis.
There was a humble went over tn
room, an no seen he was wrong an yelled,
, 'A-u, / meant
Too late, says Long only one
chance ct time tell one or tn other
spells ct. Tn gentleman who gifts ct right
first wins, accordin ter rules.
"Jimison was white as q sheet, an his
face an hands was twitchin as he stood
there glarin ct Quincy Muthorsbaugh
looked ct TIL floor like he was stedyin. I
seen Hannah elders lean for'ad an grip
tn desk with her hands, an then knowcd
she'd made up her min which she favored.
He bigin: 'A-u, au; TOR, auror; a,
aurora; Dor, Dor; G, aurora bore; al, al;
aurora boreal'-then he stopped an looked
ct tn floor nm stedicd.
II jest stood up, was tibet excited, fer
l knowed what was wrong. seen tears
in Hannah elders eyes as she leaned
for'a'd not breathin. l seen Unison grin
an knowed he remembered he'd left out
tn Il an I'D spell ct sure Jest as quick as
he'd got chance believed Quincy was
goin ter say a, an tibet ct was all up with
him, an tibet Hannah elders knowed who
she favored too late, fer she wasn't a girl
ter break greemcn'.
"Thcn sudden Teller run in tn door
an Yelled Some uns run off with Teacher
Jimson's horse an sleighl
You uns never seen scoh n panic. TIL
weemon jumped up an yelled; tn men
jest piled out tn door; John Jimison
climbed out tn winder, an Teacher Long
dropped his spellin book an follered. Ter
my surprise Quincy Muthersbaugh never
moved. He Jest stood there lookin at
Hannah elders an smlin, whilo she was
gain back rs red as beet. was gettin
out tn winder among the last an turned
round ter see Of Quincy was behind me.
Thet's how come ter notice ct. l Jest
stopped IN looked ct both of 'em. For
three minutes them two stared OF each
other, an l stared ct 'em, not KNOWN
what ter make of ct. Meantime the room
was cleared. Outside We heard tn sleigh
bells ringin as til follers started off after
TIL thieves. We heard John Unison an
Teacher Long calm to 'em ter go in this
an thCt direction. We heard TIL weemen
complainin because they'd SO many hev
ter walk home.
Then tn rear winder right back of
where Quincy was standin slid up, an his
young brother Sam stuck his head in, an
when he seen tn coast was clear whisper
ed: l Jest give til 'larm in time Quincy,
didn't II I've hitched Teacher Jimison's
horse right here behind tn schoolhousc,
an you kin take her home Jest as soon as
tn last of these here fools gifts way
Quincy smiled an said L thot you
was never comm, an I'd have ter spell ct
out
But TIL winder was shet down, an his
brother was gone.
Then he steps down of the platform
an walks up ter Hannah elders an says,
Tho last syllnble's e-a-l-a-s.'
No, says she quietlikc 'Et's c-a-l-ie.
But tibet amt no difference.
Il slipped out TIL winder an started
home. Bout ten minutes later John
Jimison's horse an sleigh passed me on
tn road, an from what seen l lodged ct
wouldn't "a done him much good anyway
Of he he'd spelled down Quincy Muthers.
baugh. New York sun.
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Really Grateful.