Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1901-03-12
CHAPTER VII

Elder township claimed to hold the or
Geographic championship of Washington
County. Three successive winters it
had, in series of spelling matches, held
toward the close of the school seasons,
defeated each of the adjoining townships,
and none of those more distant ventured
to contest its proudly Wanted claim to
supremacy. Such amiable distinction had
not been lightly won. and that it had been
gained was due almost wholly TO the per-
siStent determination and educational
ability of Mr. Parsons. Each winter, al
most as soon as he opened school, he
took the preliminary steps in the annual
campaign. To begin with, he held two
or three general spelling contests, to bring
out the best photographic talent of the
community, from which he made up his
class for special training. Maintaining
standing in that class involved really
hard work, for it was held only by merit
One by one its weaker members were
weCded out until only those remarked who
had a just confidence in themselves ana
in one another.
Had not the master. singlehanded. the
first winter he was here. defeated the
neighboriug townships! Ever since then
he had been ruled out" from active par
ticipation in the matches, it being gem
orally conceded that he was lust the
same as a, dictionary." Every tricky lit
tie word. made difficult by the inclusion
OF letters that had no reasonable bust
ness in il. was known TO him; with, every
contorted polysylahic horror that no or
binary man could be expected TO remem-
Der. ne was upon terms of untrammeled
intimacy; with every absurd word. spell
ed one way and pronounced another, he
was familiar. The dictionary might, per
| hapS. know more about the mere mean
ings of words. but for their real use. that
of being spelled, lit could give him no
points.
Very hrighJ and cheerful the old school
/ house interior was that stormy night.
when people began TO arrive. \ rude
candelabrum, made from discarded
+ buggy wheel. pendent in the center OF the
room. supported 4 dozen candles; other
candles. on the schoolmaSter'S desk.
thanking the dictionary-which was dis
played for style rather than uSe-and
along the walls, made the place almost
/ brilliant Desks were piled out Of the
way and benches arranged in a double
row on three sides of a central hollow
square. aS il for dance. The stove glow
cd red. aud the big pot Of water upou it
steamed like sap kettle in Sugar-mak-
Ing time. All these arrangements were
the work Of industrious Simeon Mulyeil.
the constable. He never knew clearly the
line AZ which his official responsibilities
ended, and, being determined to DO his
whole duty. was always ready FOR any
service that the public interest seemed
TO him TO demand,
Early candle-!;-ht'' being the under
stood hour for commencement Of the pro-
/ ccc,siusS aud the participants being
prompt-notwj;hstau the storm,
which only seemed 10 stimulate the
hearty humoc OF a,l-3he big school room
was soon filed by I busting. mildly ex-
cited throRs Of friends and ueishbors.
Whether Il was due to the elevatjns in
luence Of study Of photography or to
the modifying effect of the presence Of -
many pretty girls may not be with Ger
tainty averred. but the face is beyond dis
pute that az the spelling school meetings
not even a remembrance Of that old
grudge between the Camerons and the
MulveilS ventured to show its ugly head,
And this was really surprising. since st
these earlier stages in the work Of Selee-
ton and training. twO,thivdS of those
present would be in lighting humor be-
fore the evening was over. Mr.. Par
sons had way Of using &eeu sarcasms
as pins "a fasteu in the memories Of bis
class remembrance of the words they
failed on, and. while his biting speeches
certainly lad THAI effect, they stirred up