Daily camera., 1901-07-03

no wish to win tae prize. except to
give it to her. She had been spelled
down early in the fray, for, as l said,
Alice never was star speller, but
that was not what / was loving her
for, and | didn't care n continental
if she couldn't spell cat, if she would
only let me love her, and some day
but l was afraid to think of that
win her for myself Now I was so
nervous I couldn't look at the pic
ture. and as for looking at Alice. /
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 could see Nat
smiling over at her and grinning con-
idently every time he ratified off
big word as easy as saving Jack Rob
inson.'"
81 don't seem to remember any
Jack Robinson" said the Old Sub
scriber, abscnt-mindedly, as he
looked inquiringly in the direction
of the Taxpayer, who shook his head
in warning.
"Finally," continued the Editor,
"thc 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 ap-
plausc all over the house.
"'Abracada bra he called out for
a starter, and Nat took it on the fly
without trying.
"'Apagoge,' he next announced,
and l finished it promptly.
"Asyndoton.'
Nat spelled it without turning
hair.
"'Aurora borealis.'
at was my turn, and the hot blood
few 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 girls face swinging around
in the tumble before me. | felt my
| Adams apple coming into my mouth,
| but | choked it back with gasp,
and began spelling very slowly, syl-
liable by syllable.
"'A-u, au, r-o, ro, auro, r-a, ra, aurora:
b-o. bo, re, re, bore and there I
stumbled and stopped, and the house
became very still. Nat Landers stood
| looking at me with a smile on his
| handsome face, which, to me, was
| little short of ficndish. One of the
ghoulish glee kind, you know.
"'Go on said the teacher, lift
ing his eyes over his spcctacles, and
letting them fall on me in mild sur
prise. you have only half minute
| to word
- An, au, r-o, ro, r-a, ra. aurora; BIO,
bo, re, re, bore proceeded, rath-
cr more glibly than on the first trial,
but | stopped at the same point
again and the teacher looked up and
/ waited for me to 20 on.
"'Alis,' he suggested, as he could
under the rule when Speller was
| stalled. and he gave the "a the short
sound as the word was generally pro-
nounccd.
"'A-l-i-c-c.' burtcd out in spite
OF all | could do, for | knew that
was not the way TO spell it, and down
| | sat.
"Landcrs 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-
/ barrasscd, as il she never, never
could forgive me for being so out
rageously silly. The moment | fin
/ ishcd the word Lauders caught il up
and spelled it right, and dashed ont
| of the schoolhouse barchcaded, and
ran away into the darkness to hide
my shame. OF course, everybody
after that knew the joke | 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
crs had giTcn the picture to Alice,
people said il was sure to be
match: but the following Sunday
Alice made me walk home with her,
and I had suffered so since the SPELL
/ ing bee that some better sense had
come to me, and-well,' the editor
smiled chesrfully and resignedly, II
guess Taxpayer here and Old Sub
scriber know my wife's name is
Alice
And a fine woman she is" nod
ded the Old Subscriber.
"A plumb thoroughbred" corrobo-
rated the Taxpayer with confidence.
! The Editor bowed, doubled himself
up, and again resumed his labors.