The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-01-04

Township for three successive winters
without learning something about
the art of governing the Swamp boys,
who at first declared they didn't pro-
pose to be ''teached by any female
woman"
"Quiet," was the positive word, and
all faces Immediately turned to the
platform in front.
"After considering the matter care
fully I have decided that there will
be no more school till Thursday"
Explanations of manifest approval
were volunteered from different parts
of the room, showing a general salts
faction with the decision rendered.
Teacher" said the light haired
boy behind the stove. What is it
Joseph?" "Can me and Pete Geiger
choose up if we spell down9"
"You mean to say Pete and I, do
you not?" said the teacher kindly.
At this Sally Albery gave kind of
smothered litter. Sally had learned
the greater number of the rules in
Harvey's Grammar and invariably
said a." The light haired boy, who
was called Joe for short, blushed
little, but said yes.
As tomorrow would be Christmas
and already portion of the last
quarter of the day had been used in
discussion, it sort of went without
saying that the remaining hour would
be spent in that delightful experience
of spelling down. So Joe and Pete
soon took their places, each on his
favorite side of the room standing at
the north end of the walnut slab seats
that extended nearly the full length
on both sides of the school room.
Pete came the nearer to guessing the
right page selected by Miss Parsons,
and being entitled to the first choice,
took Jack Myers. Jack could not
hide the fact that he felt highly hon
ored and there was some little nudg-
ing of elbows as he took his place at
the head of what would soon be a
long line of anxious spoilers.
A great deal of care was taken by
each leader as the choosing went on,
to get the ones he wanted on his side.
There came time when only few
were left to be chosen, among VIII ON
was Dorothy Stewart, or "dumb
bort" as some had been heard to call
her. 1t may be said here that the
Stewart family we're new Corners into
Poke township, having been in that
neighborhood only since the spring
of 10 but it had become quite gener-
ally understood that they were not
counted among the well TODD and
most respectable people of the dis
trict. Dorothy sat with her eyes
fixed upon her secondhand speller
pretending to be busily engaged in
study but all the while was wonder
ing if she would be the last one chos-
en-. She knew better than any one
else that her education had been ne
elected but felt that she had not been
to blame. Dorothy was just wonder
ing if she had any friends in school
besides the Landau and Hatfield
children when she received gentle
nudge in the back. "Say," whisper
ed little Rose Henderson, $40
choosed YOU" Dorothy had been
thinking SO deeply upon her condi-
ton that she had failed to hear the
calling of her name. When she
looked up she found that she was
covered by all the eyes in the room.
"You are chosen on Joe's side," said
Miss Parsons, whose gentle tone
seemed to allay the embarrassment.
In few moments the choosing was
over and after numbering all were in
readiness to spell.
The usual fifteen minutes were
spent in pronouncing common place
words. At the end of this time few
were down and now took comfort
only in the hope that their side
would win. Dorothy was still stand
ing; she had taken the second trial at
the word "raisin" but that was in &C.
cordance with the rule laid down by
Miss Parsons that those belonging in
the second spelling class should have
two trials while those in the highest
class could have but one. "Prairie"
was the word pronounced. P r-a-r-i-e,
boldly sang out Master Jack Myers.
"Next," said the teacher, and one of
the landau boys snapped it up.
Jack turned slightly pale, but he
reluctantly sat down. Dorothy's
heart beat faster and faster to think
she was still standing. 1t seemed
now that it would even be relief to
get hard word and have it over, for
of course she could not hope to stand
..o.,oL laoc.o- Ona mona rOnnH-