Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1897-09-09
a SPELLING MATCH.
1t Was Vacation Diversion of LittI

q SPELLING MATCH.
1t Was a Vacation Diversion of Little
Girls Who Knew Mig Words.
The stoop of the fiat house was occu.
pied by six little girls who lived iii
neighboring houses. On these warm
nights people sit on their own stoops or
on somebody's else, and the girls had
taken possession of the first untenantcd
one they saw. They were from five to
seven years old, and their chatter could
be heard half way down the block,
Their dresses had been whitehall is,
before playing in the street had soiled
them; but the girls sat on the busiest
step on very dusty stoop as if they
didn't care. Their mothers had TO wash
the dresses, anyway, and not they, so
they didn't think about it.
Presently some one who lived in the
house came downstairs. He made but
little noise, and for several minutes
stood behind the little intruders, quiet
~ listening to them. Then one of the
girls saw him and said something to
the others, and they all got up as if they
were going to run off.
Don't go away" the newcomer said.
on let you sit on the stoop."
care you the landlord?" one Of them
asked.
"Notyet," he answered, with thoughts
that they knew not of. He had 90 cents
in his pocket and much less in bonds
and banks and houses.
what are you then.?"
He's i gambler"
NO; he isn't, Jennie Farrell. He's a
detective"
I'm reporter" he said
"a reporter" they all echoed. in
chorus.
YES"
81 know; you write things" k
Say, how much do you get?"
ut all depends"
"Well, why don't you go and find out
something, and write about it? l
would"
81 would rather talk to girls
us girlsY
"Of course"
That's a jolly"
"Where do you live, girls?"
1900"
1929"
"312."
1926"
"3333 33.
1920"
$40 you all go to schoolin winter?"
YES"
"Where?"
up in Fortyseventh street"
"Well, as you all go 10 school, and are
all smart girls, I'll tell you what I'll do.
I'll give cent to the one who spells the
biggest word right"
That was received with immense ia
vor. One little tot began with:
"S-i-d-e-w-a-l-k-sid
Then, to the mans establishment, the
contest ran up into something like a
spelling match among big folks.
Observation-Disclosures"
"N-e-c-e-s-s-a-r-y-necessary."
"E7l-e-p-h-a-n-t-elephant."
"C-o-n-t-r-a-d-i-c-t-i-o-n - contradlc-
ton"
Their examiner was not saying
word, but was watching their eager
faces, flushed with excitement.
"C-o-n-s-t-a-n-t-i CONSTANT, no, no,
Constantine, p-l-e-Constantinople."
An ominous silence fell over the lit
tie group there on the step in the even
ing, 100 feet from the noise of Eighth
avenue. The man who lived in the
house reached for the cent. As he took
il out a seven-year-old almost climbed
up TO his neck as she announced loud
ly:
q can spell a word that no other girl
can, bet"
"Go ahead"
IT'S incomprehensible. See il any o.
them can spell it, Mr.. Reporter
Not one Of the others dared to try
it. The poor little Constantinople's
mouth quivered bit as she looked al
Miss Incomprehensible."
"Spell it," he said.
"Then she spelled: "I-n-c-o-m-p-r-e'
h-e-n-s-i-b-l-e," without slip.
Chats right. There's your cent"
But Constantinople's eyes were in
tears. Another cent dried them.-N. Y.
Sun.