Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1901-06-05

| soon had our sides marshaled
against each other. II wanted to
choose Alice the very first one, but
wouldn't haye done it for the
world, 5and Nat did it as easy as he
could sell book. And it wasn't be-
cause Alice was such a good SPELL
er, either. Alice's spell was of a
different kind" .S'' 50 - i
"Huh,"sS snickered the Exchange
Fiend, who was conversant with the
comic columns of the newspapers.
The Editor smiled and went on
with his story: "The teacher had
McGuffey's and Webster's spelling
book, and he began at the beginning
where the words were easy and the
poorest spoilers could have some sort
of show. This act of mercy was
of short duration, however, and the
teacher, was soon over among the
hard words, and the victims began
dropping all along the line. A dozen
or more still stood and battled nobly,
but one by one they joined those
gone. before, until no one was left
except LandeFs and myself. BY this
time I was getting pretty nervous.
All along I had been looking at the
picture, and I had made up dozen
Alice when it was mine, for I had
no wish to win the prize, except to
give it to her. She had been spelled
down early in the fray, for, as said,
Alice never was a star speller, but
that was not what I was loving her
for. and I didn't care a continental
if she couldn't spell cat, if she would
only let me love her, and some day
but I was afraid to think of that
win her for myself. Now I was $50
nervous I couldn't look at the pic
ture, and as for looking at Alice, I
didn't care so much as to turn my
eyes toward the other side of the
room where she sat looking at
both of us, but I could see Nat
smiling over at her and grinning con-
fidently every time he ratified off a
big word as easy as saying Jack Rob-
inson.'"
Il don't seem to remember any
Jack Robinson" said the Old Sub
scriber. absent-mindedly, as he
looked inquiringly in the direction
of the Taxpayer, who shook his head
in warning.
"Finally," continued the Editor,
"the teacher gave up the spelling
book and opened the big dictionary.
1t was a silent tribute to our abil-
ity that called for murmur of APP
plause all over the house.
'Abracadabra,' he called out for
starter, and Nat took it on the fly
without trying.
"'Apagoge,' he next announced.
and I finished it promptly.
'Asyndeton.'
''Nat spelled it without turning .
a hair.
"'Aurora borealis.'
1T was my turn, and the hot blood
flew to my face and my knees trem-
bled. Lord knows what was the
matter with me, but the place seemed
to be whirling, and all could see
was a girls face swinging around
in. the tumble before me. I felt my
Adams apple coming into my mouth,
but I choked it back with gasp,
and began spelling very slowly, syl-
liable by syllable.
eau, au, TO, 70, auro, "a, ra, aurora:
BIO, DO, re, re, BORE and there
stumbled and stopped. and the house
became very still. Nat Landers stood
looking at me with smile on his
handsome face, which, to me, was
little short of fiendish. One of the
ghoulish glee kind, you know.
"'Go on said the teacher, lift
ing his eyes over his spectacles, and
letting them fall on me in mild sur
prise. You have only half minute
to a word
'A-u, au, TO, 70, ia, IA, aurora; BIO.
DO, re, re, BORE I proceeded, rath-
er more glibly than on the first trial.
but I stopped at the same point
again and the teacher looked up and
waited for me to go on.
Ais he suggested, as he could
under the rule when a speller was
stalled, and he gave the "a the short
sound as the word was generally pro-
nounced.
".A-l-i-c-e,' I blurted out, in spite
of all I could do, for I knew that
was not the way to spell it, and down
I sat-
flanders and the teacher and
everybody who knew how. to spell
the word, because it wasn't a hard
one, fairly shouted, and all the 9TH
ers soon joined them, while poor
Alice looked at me, blushing and en-
barrassed, as if she never, never
could forgive me for being so out
rageously silly. The moment I fin
ished the word Landers caught it up
and spelled it right, and dashed out
of the schoolhouse bareheaded, and
ran away into the darkness to hide
my shame. Of, course, everybody
after that knew the. joke I had put
on myself, but nobody had charity
enough to see the pathetic side of
it and offer me any sympathy. That
is, nobody did then, and when Land
ers had given the picture to Alice,
people said it was sure to be
match; but the following Sunday
Alice made me walk home with her,
and had suffered so since the spell
ing bee that some better sense had
come to me, and-well," the editor
smiled cheerfully and resignedly. II
guess Taxpayer here and Old SUBJ
scriber know mysswife's name is
Alice" i Z
..And-a fine woman she~is," nod.
ded. the Old Subscriber. ~ u
"A plumb thoroughbred, 2 corrobo-.
rated the Taxpayer with confidence.
! The Editor bowed, doubled himself
1,n 4 II