The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-12-01
The Eueni,,e Story

ne Eoent1e oto'v
The Spelling School.
(By Lawrence Alfred Clay.)
The village Of Freedom had no
railroad connection. but had you en-
tered It on foot or by vehicle the first
resident you encountered would have
been Deacon Salathiel Green, putting
leather hinge on his front gate OF
seated with folded arms ON the steps
of the postofice.
Had you asked the deacon for a list
of excuses as to why the village ex-
1Sted he would have answered:
well. we have Miss Bird Davis,
who Is handsomer than an acre Of rcd,
white and blue hollyhocks, and
smarter'n ain-lightning.
Also. three-legged calf, owned by
Keziah Perkins
Also the loyalty Of the people, We
have 700 Inhabitants, but claim twice
that number.
ALSO. a church spire that has been
struck five different times by light
ming.
ALSO. Grandma Haxletop. who re-
members that she handled George
Washington ON her knee when he was
a kid six months old.
Also. half a dozen young fellers
who are in love with the chain light
ing gall
This was the tale told to Young
Roy Campbell as he arrived in the
village to spend a vacation of a
month in the late fall He was
slightly interested in the three-leRred
cali, and he reasoned that in time he
should behold Miss Davis. but he was
not startled. AS he bent his steps
toward hxa iA~ =
after him and shook his head.
He may be a nice young man. and
ne may be postoh1ce robber instead.
Time will tell.''
The village OF Freedom had gath
cred the vegetables from its gardens.
ana mad plenty of time in which to
size up the stranger. 1t came to the
conclusion that he was not dangerous.
but why didn't he come out as frank
~ as the wfre-fence man, the wind
mill man and others had done and re-
late his history from childhood up
1t counted for nothing that he attend
cd church the first Sunday of his ar
ton as the plate was thrust under his
nose. Indeed. as Mr.. Sparrow said.
ana as others agreed with him: ..If
ne nadnt been in jail somewhere for
something or other, would he be seen
inside a church and trying to deceive
us?"
mo! No!'
He gave up half a dollar to the
pate. while the rest of us gave pen
MES and nickels, but wouldn't Canta in
Kidd have done the same ?"
| Inc young men realized at once what
Aau orou9nc the stranger to the gates
OF the village. He had heard Of the
w1nsome Miss Davis, and had come to
ADMIRE, fall in love and wed her and
Dear her away. He was from the CITY
and she had been heard to say that she
should never live in a village after
marriage. Therefore. they glared al
him and avoided him and tn liked to hi,
detriment and wished him to HaIifax
woman can overlook 1t in a mar
Tor being a bit wicked, IL it is moi
ner husband. A girl can and doe.
overlook it il the man is young and
good-looking and mystery is thrown
4 around him. 1t was logical thai
Mnen the young men dropped theil
o1Iefences and combined against thu
stranger they excited curiosity more
tnan dfstrust among the female heart,
not too old.
Miss Bird Davis encountered Mr.. Ro,
Campbell at church and on the street
and said to herself: He may be q
criminal and fugitive from Justice
but I'd like an introduction to hin
just the same"
they told her that he was probabl,
a horsethief. That he was a scout 70,
postofftce robbers. That the constable
had an eye on him. That the sheriff
was seeking to get his fingerprints
Inat while he looked az innocent a.
yearling babe. he would try every ar,
to get girl to elope with him, and al
ter month leave her dead broke or
the street OF some cold and cruel CITY
Miss Bird listened. She also laughed
Sne likewise suggested that an intro
ductton to such an interesting charac.
ter was in order
What brought matters to a head wa.
spelling school. Freedom was prouC
or her school. 1t wasn't a great bis
sch0olhouse. with a large and liberia
sta1i OF teachers. On the contrary, nc
unnecessary building material had beer
used, and two teachers did all ths
whaling and teaching. Neither French
nor German was taught there. wher
1t came down to Old-fashioned ortho.
8raphy the rest Of Warren county hai
to go way back and sit down. When.
ever IN newspaper or magazine one
OF the pupils discovered the wore
programme" with the last two let.
tiers left Oft. an indignant protest wal
at once forwarded to the guilty party
Beetnnfng with the fall term. thes<
spelling schools were held once a month
all winter. One was due a few days
after MI Campbell appeared in Free.
dom. 1t was talked Of as being better
than moving picture show or a circus
People who wouldn't go to a funera
J nad the front seats at these contests
NO one invited or suggested. but
was there. Moreover. he was choser
by one OF the sides. and it was thus
} that he found himself a contestant. in.
stead OF q spectator. 1t was Miss Bird