Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-12-01
Evening Star S
Daily Story
THE SPELLING SCHOOL
BY LAWRENCE ALFRED CLAY.
Copyright, 1914, by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.

paper Syndicate.
The village, of Freedom had no rail-
road connection, but had you en-
tered it on foot or by vehicle the
first resident you encountered would
have been Deacon Salathiel Green,
putting a leather hinge on his front
gate or seated with folded arms ON
the steps of the postoffice.
Had you asked the deacon for a
list of excuses as to why the village
existed he would have answered:
We'll, We have Miss Bird Davis,
who is handsomer than an acre of
red, white and blue hollyhocks, and
S.nartern'n chain-ightning.
ALSO, a 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
Also Grandma Hazleton, who re-
members that she handled George
Washington on her knee when he
was kid six months old.
Also half a dozen young fellers
who are in love with the chain
lightning gall
This was the tale told to young
Roy. Campbell as he arrived in the
village to spend O. vacation of a
month in the late fall He was
slightly interested in the three
legged calf, and he reasoned that in.
time he should behold Miss Davis,
but he was not startled. AS he bent
his steps toward the inn, Deacon
Green looked after him and shook
his head.
He may be nice young man,
and he may be a postoffice robber
instead. Time will tell"
The village of Freedom had
gathered the vegetables from its gar
dens and had 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 frankly as the wire
fence man, the windmill man and
others had done and relate his his
tory from childhood up? 1t counted
for nothing that he attended church
the first Sunday of his arrival and
made a generous contribution as the
plate was thrust under his nose. In
deed, as Mr.. Sparrow said, and as
others agreed with him. IF he
hadn't been in Jail somewhere for
something or other, would he be seen
inside church and trying to de-
ceive us?' -
NO! MOI"
He gave up half a dollar TO the
plate, while the rest of us gave
pennies and nickels, but wouldn't
Captain Kidd have done the same?"
The young man realized at once
what had brought the stranger to the
gates of the village. He had heard
of the winsome Miss Davis. and had
come to admire, fall in love and wed
her and bear her away. He was
from the city, and she had been heard
to say that she should never live in
village after marriage. Therefore.
they glared at him and avoided him
and talked to his detriment and
wished him to Halifax.
A woman can overlook it in a man
for being a bit wicked, If it is not
her husband. A girl can and does
overlook 1t If the man is young and
good-looking and mystery is thrown
around him. 1t was logical that when
the young men dropped their differ
ences and combined against ethe
stranger they excited curiosity more
than distrust among the female
hearts not too old.
Miss Bird Davis encountered Mr..
Roy Campbell at church and on the
street and said to herself: HE may
De a criminal and fugitive from
Justice, but I'd like an introduction
to him, just the same"
They told her that he was proba-
bly, horse thief. That he was scout
for postoffice robbers. That the
constable had an eye on him. That
the sheriff was seeking to get his
hngerprints. That while he looked
as innocent as a yearling babe, he
would try every art to get girl to
elope with him, and after a month
leave her dead broke on the street
of some cold and cruel city.
Miss Bird listened. She also
laughed. She likewise suggested that
an introduction to such an interest
ing character was in order.
What brought matters to a head
was spelling school. Freedom was
proud of her school. 1t wasn't a
great big schoolhouse, with large
and liberal staff of teachers. On the
contrary, no unnecessary building
material had been used and two
teachers did all the whaling and
teaching. Neither French nor Ger
man was taught there. but when it
came down to old-fashioned orthog-
raphy the rest of Warren County had
to go way back and sit down. When
ever in a newspaper or magazine one
Of the pupils discovered the word
programme" with the last two let
ters left Off an indignant protest was
at once forwarded to the guilty party.
beginning with the fall term. these
spelling schools were held once a
month all winter. One was due a
few days after Mr. Campbell APP
peared in Freedom. 1t was talked of
as being better than a moving pic
ture show or circus. People who
wouldn't go to funeral had the
front seats at these contests.
No one invited or suggested, but
when the evening came Mr.. Camp
bell was there. Moreover, he was
chosen by one of the sides. and 1t
was thus that he found himself a
contestant, instead of a spectator. 1t
of the opposing line,s and she had
her love-sick SWANS beside her. All
were good spoilers, but she was al
ways the last of the two lines to go
down. Her mother had said of her:
Nobody can say whom Bird will
fall in love with and marry, but you
can make up your mind it'll have to
be somebody who can spell her
down."
BY and by the hard words came,
and the lines began to thin and
shorten up. Until he caught Miss
Bird looking at him defiantly, Mr..
Campbell had wished he had kept
out of it. There was direct chal-
lenge in her eyes and pose that
awoke a feeling of antagonism, and
he determined that the victory
should be his.
In time they were the last two up.
Of course the hopes and synpathies
of the people were with the girl.
Even in her alertness she caught
whisnered words behind her which