Ellsworth American., 1904-02-17
AN INCORRIGLBLE
SPELi.ER


refined girl. who at school and after
ward at college had been noted for the
correctness of her English and tho
faultleSsness of her essays. She had
been born TO wealth and luxury and
was now suffering from reverses that
had occurred to her father. Young
Dick Boyd. whom She had long known
and whose wife she had expected to
be ever since she was ten years old,
had, her promise to marry him as soon
as he was sure of permanent income.
But, while she loved Dick. she was
uncertain as to the wisdom of passing
a lifetime with him. As schoolboy
he had never handed in a composition
that was not blotted. misspelled, un-
grammatical and generally discredita-
BILE. She had hoped that when he be-
came man he would do better, and
now she had evidence that he was not
she held in her hand, note from Dick:
expect to get away from bisiness early
this afternoon and will come for a walk
before dinner. I'm not shure. but II I
come will be there by 6 o'clock A man
keep me back. Otherwise you Will sec me
on time.
ITS just as l always feared" she
moaned.s How can a man who can't
spell business take any stand In busi-
ness. Sure" spelled with an h A
man who have an appointment with
You will see me on time One would
suppose my determination on the sub
ject to be Irresistible. NO" she went
on after much .deliberation. 1T will
never do for me to link my life with
one who must ex natura rel from the
nature of the case) take low stand
even in the world of business
1t will be observed from this solilo-
guy that Miss Twining was a college
bred girl who preferred a Latin to an
English expression and had more re-
spect for professional than business
life. She broke her engagement with
Dick Boyd. though II cost her a severe
pang TO do so, and became a teacher.
Everybody predicted that she would
become prominent, and. as for Dick
Boyd. most persons who had seen spec
linens of his literary productions put
him down as sure TO hold his position
on the bottom rung of the ladder.
Dick on entering upon his position
with the Startling Lumber company. a
concern of many years standing. was
placed at clerical work. After leaving
n blot on nearly every page Of the
ledger and sending out a number OF
misspelled and inaccurate statements
the president called him into his pri-
vate office and told him. putting il
kindly, that he thought he would do
better outside. Dick went outside and
instead of blotting the books became
lumber shower But il was not long be-
fore 1t was evident that he would make
better boss. and in few weeks he
was in charge of the yard Then he
was sent to straighten out bad COM
plication at the mills and from this time
forward was used to perform what was
considered impossible for any one else.
Superintendent. secretary. vice presi-
dent, were his successive titles. and at
last when the president had got the
company Into a hole" Boyd was given
a block of the stock and made presi-
dent for the purpose OF getting ii out.
This he accomplished in few years
time, and II made him rich.
Meanwhile Ruth Twining had spent
a dozen years teaching and had reached
a position at S700 year as instructor
in English composition Her principal
duty was to correct the Juvenile essays
of the scholars. a work she did over
and over again till her eyes ached and
life seemed burden. One day when
she was more tired and dlsheartened
than usual letter addressed by type
writer was handed her. She opened
the envelope and took out n typewritten
letter. 1t read:
Ny Dear Old sweetheart-I have never
blamed you for not expecting anything OF
SO bad speller as l. The fault is inher-
ited. My father couldn't spell correctly,
and my sister is no better al spelling than
l. Nevertheless have been successful in
another field. and as / shall never marry
any one II l can't marry you l write to
ask you II you will alter your decision of
a dozen years ago. Whether l live a
~-~--~rNA
on your answer. DICK.
Had this letter not been written by a
mechanical process and by an inter.
mediate person. Ruth might have been
moved by it. AS it was. she would as
well have read it in book. She took
up her pen. wrote refusal to recon-
slider the matter and was about to ad-
dress it when, looking at the envelope
in which Dicks letter had been in
closed for his address, she saw that
something had been left in it. She
drew out piece of paper on which
the original had been written for the
typewriter to copy:
/ haven't ever blamed you for not ex-
pecting ennything from as bad speler
tbloO as | am. My father couldn't spell
any better than me. Nevertheless / have
been successful. and as | shall CbloD
never mary emmy body If / can't mary YOU
tbloD / woud like to know II you will
change your mind of dosen years ago.
Somehow this bit of biotted, mis-