The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-03-24
SMART AT SPELLING.
a LESSON IN oRTHoGRAPHy THAT
WAS DEARLY BOUGHT.

Won Thousands of Dollars by
working the Dictionary For Game
Until They w e~e, Brought TO Grief.
"How dc you s...ll choir asked a
man in the bookstore.
''What dc you mean-paper Q mu-
sic2" inquired a smart young man who
poses as an authority on all topics
'.Music. singing, Of course. replied
the man in search of photographed in
formation.
sC-h-o-i-r, responded the smart
young man decisively.
.'Q.u-i-r-e," chimed in a red bearded
man who was busy looking at some
books.
"You are referring to paper, = said
the smart young man, looking sadly at
the interrupter. 1--WE were speaking
about music
II mean music, too. said the red
bearded mar calmly 'q-u-i-r-e. to sing
in concert.
The smart young mans expression
changed from sadness to contempt.
"You had better consult your diction-
airy. he said with a sheer.
"Never mind, retorted the red
bearded man. ''My way Of spelling may
be a little old fashioned, but you will
find it correct according to Webster.
You will also find it correct according
to the Century Dictionary. and if I am
not mistaken it is likewise given in the
Standard. Your way is all right too.
The smart young man gave a sniff Of
scorn. Josh Billings and you should
have collaborated on a phonetic spelling
book.
Look here. said the red bearded
man. IN bet you So that Webster's
latest spells it 'q-u-i-r-e.'"
''Make it S.. said the smart young
man, pulling out a roll.
"No: l don't want to rob you. Get
the dictionary,
The money was put up and Webster's
International brought out. There it
was. ''q-u-i-r-e. to sing in concert.
II didr'. mean a verb. said the
smart young man. growing white
around the ears. Where is the noun?'
They found that. too. although it was
marked obsolete. Then the smart young
man wilted.
II won't take your money. said the
red bearded man. handing back the
bills my name is Bell. George T
Bell Ihave had educational advantages
which you probably never received. ane
/ spent severa! months learning the
different ways to spell that word Sew.
-eral years ago l was on the secret serv
ice. My partner and had beer or the
trail Of a pair Of sharpers who had a
repertory of con games that would
have made the ordinary bunko mar look
sick, They were men Of far more than
ordinary intelligence and had the man
ners of cultured men Of the world. The
way we happened to get them was q
pure accident.
"My partner and l were going down
from St. Louis on a Mississippi river
packet. There were about 20 Of us in
the smoking room talking and trying to
pass the time comfortably. Just as a
lull came in the hum of conversation a
young man seated at a table writing
some letters looked up with a troubled
air and said. Gould any Of you gentle
men tell me how to spell "choir?"
am a little puzzled over it.
".'What kind of a one do you mean 2 |
asked several
Choir. to sing in concert, chirped
the young man. wrinkling his brow as
if to recall. the proper photography.
"'C-h-o-i-r. said a scholarly looking
mar with glasses on.
"'Q-u-i-r-e, sang out a big, we'll fed
old man off in the corner.
"'C-h-o-i-r. repeated the first man
with some emphasis. 4 thought every
fool knew that.
"'That's all right. said the old man
off in the corner. Money talks. I'll bet
you $50 that Webster spells it
s'q-u-i-r-e" too.
"'I'll raise you SO. said the first
man. who was a cotton buyer at Mem.
phiss
".AI right, said the big old man
coolly. Then the others joined in and
bet him to a standstill. They put ur
about $500. Then they got the d~iction-
airy, and, as just now. the man who bet
on tq-u-i-r-e' won.
"My partner and l waited till the
money had changed hands, and then I
said, Come on. ST
II walked up to the young man and
said Come with me-; l want you. I'll
show You how to spell choir. ST col
Jared the big old man and we waltzed
them down below. You never saw two
fellows look quite so cheap. They had
cleaned up over SIS, 900 on that one
trick, but they gotfour years and a half
apiece. That is n spelling school !
have attended that not every man goes
to. That game is one which will catch
nine educated men out of ten. You are
all right. but you may still have some.
thing to learn.
Then the smart young man offered
the usual invitation in payment for the
information. Washington Post.