The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-03-07
GREAT SPELLING BEE

VI alluS held" said the Chronic Loaf.
er, as he stretched his legs along the
counter and rested his back comforta-
ply against pile OF calicoes, 'thet they
hint no sech thing as roarinborin alluS.
know some sais they is electric lights,
but when I seen thet big un last night
said to my missus, an I hop I'm right.
thes ct was nothin' but tn iron furnace
over tn mo'ntain. Fer, s'pose, ez til
Teacher sais, they Is lights up ct tn
horth pole, does you uns believe we
coul. see 'em all tnet distance? Well
bow"
He gaZed impressively about the store
at the close Of this discourse. The Mil
Ter, the Shoemaker and the G. A. R.
Man were disposed to agree with him
but the School Teacher was sarcastic.
IF you had ever studied physical ge-
ography," he said. ''you would know
that the aurora borealis is not light
made upon terra firma, but peculiar
magnetic condition Of the atmosphere
for which there is no apparent account
ing" He looked toward the Chronic
Loafer. "AnG the maner In which yon
pronounce it Is exceedingly ludicrous.
1t is not a roarinborin always. 1t Is
spelled a-u-r-o-r-a-b-o-r-e-a-li-S."
The Tinsmith, who was seated upon
nail keg, rubbing his hands in the
warm rays Of the stove, chuckled softly.
The Chronic Loafer noticed him and
felt convinced that the correction Of his
own grammar had caused the others
mirth.
whats you uns so tickled abou
now?" he asked gruffiy.
II was jest thinkin'," the Tinsmith
replied, his countenance assuming its
NATURAL expression, "of the time my ole
frien' Quincy Muthersbaugh spelled
down John Jimison, who tot up to Hap
py Grove school. He done ct on thet
very word. Ny, but thet there was a
1ee."
"Now, fore you git grindin' way
sence you've got on spellin'-1 want ter
:ell a good un Oh"
Let him tell US about Quincy Muth
ersbaugh," the School Teacher inter
posed, decisively. Your good un can
keep"
Compelled to silence, the Chronic
Loafer rolled over on his back and gaz-
ed dejectedly into the dim recesses Of
he ceiling, while the Tinsmith began:
"Some folks Is nat'ral spoilers, jest
ss others IS nat'ral musicians. Ag'in.
cts jest as hard ter make good speller
by edication as ct is ter make good
Ass horn blower. Fer feller thet
amt thet inborn idee Of how many
latters is needed ter make q word II
never spell no better than tn man the
lain't a nat'ral seuse Of how much
winds needed fer note II play a bass
horn"
Il cannot wholly agree with you."
Interrupted the School Teacher. "Give
d child first words OF one syllable, then
Two; then drill them in words ending in
ton until"
I'VE won't discuss thct, Teacher, fel
ct don't effect our case. John Unison
vas q nat'ral speller. You never seen
III like. Give him q word Of six or
seven syllables an he'd spell ct out like
ct was on q blackboard right before
him. When he was % he he'd spelled
down all the scholars in Happy Grove,
an d Won bout six bees. Then lie
went to tn PikestowA Normal school,
cut in the western part Of Fenn$ylvany
When he come back you never kuowed
III beat. He he'd stedied Lating an
algebray, but guess he must spent
considerable tile a-brushin' up his
spellin', fer there was only one feller
bout these parts who could keep him
fer any time at all. He was my frien'
Quincy Muthersbaugh. You uns knows
Quincy. He tot two winters up ct KiS-
hikoQuillas school, an went west after
ua mawried. He was powerful good
rcller-still-an' fine teacher an spell
sr-but John JinliSon he'd tn advantage
of O normal school edicatiop, an
Enow'd it, fer you uns never seen tn
like Of th' way he kerried on when h
WAS teachin' ter Happy Grove.
"Thet was III winter we he'd so much
snow. 1t he'd drif:ed in tn roads, SO
we drove through tn fiel's, If You uns
remember. What with church soshbles
m singin' school an spellin' bees they
was heap sight goin' on.
Not week passed but me an Quin-
cy Muthersbaugh went some'eres, an
fore I know'd ct both him an John
Unison was keeptn' comp'ny with Han
nah SiderS. She was jest as pretty us
peach, plump an rosy, with tn slick
est na.'ral hair an teeth you eyerseea.
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