The Western outlook. [volume] (San Francisco, Cal.) 1894-1928, 1915-01-09
A SPELLING SCHOOL
It Wasn't a Large Affair, But
Brought Matters to a
Head.
By LAWRENCE ALFRED CLAY.

per Syndicate.)
The village of Freedom had no rail-
road connection, but had you entered
it on foot or by vehicle the first resi-
dent you encountered would have
been Deacon Salathiel Green, putting
leather hinge on his front gate or
seated with folded arms on the steps
of the post office.
Had you asked the deacon for
list of excuses as to why the village
existed he ou1d have answered.:
We'll, we have Miss Bird Davis,
who Is handsomer than an acre OF
red, white and blue hollyhocks, and
smarter'n chain-lightning.
Also three-legged calf, owned by
Keziah Perkins.
ALSO, the loyalty of the people. We
have seven hundred inhabitants, but
claim twice that number.
ALSO, church spire that has been
struck five different times by light
ming.
also, Grandma Hazleton, 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-
ming gal"
This was the tale told to young Roy
Campbell as he arrived in the village
to spend a vacation of month in the
late fall He was slightly interested
In the three-legged calf, and he rea-
soned 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 a nice young man, and
he may be post Office robber instead.
Time will tell"
The village Of Freedom had gath
cred the vegetables from its gardens,
and had plenty Of time in which to
size up the stranger. 1t came to the
but why didn't he come out as frankly
as the wire-fence man, the windmill
man and others had done and relate
his history 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.
Indeed, 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 a
church and trying to deceive us?"
mo! Mol"
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 men 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 q
village after marriage. Therefore, they
| glared at him and avoided him and
| talked to his datriment and wished
him to Halifax.
A woman can overlook it In a man
for being bit wicked, If it is not her
husband. A girl can and does over
look 1t If the man is young and good
looking and a mystery is thrown
around him. 1t was logical that when
the young men dropped their differ.
ences and combined against the stran-
ger 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
be criminal and a fugitive from
justice, but I'd like an introduction to
him just the same"
They told her that he was probably
horse thief. That he was a scout for
post office robbers. That the consta-
BILE had an eye on him. That the sher-
if was seeking to get his finger-prints.
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 intro
duction to such an interesting charac-
ter was in order.
What brought matters to a head
was spelling school Freedom was
proud of her school. It wasn't a great
big schoolhouse, with large and lib
eral staff of teachers. On the con-
trary, no unnecessary building ma
terial had been used, and two teachers
did all the whaling and teaching.
Neither French nor German was
taught there, but when 1t came down
to old-fashioned photography the rest
of Warren county had to go way back
and sit down. Whenever IN a news
paper or magazine one of the pupils
discovered the word program" with
the final me" added, an in
dignant 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 appeared in
Freedom. It was talked of as being
better than moving picture show or
4 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
>ell was there. Moreover, he was
hosen by one of the sides, and it
vas thus that he found himself con-
estant. instead of q spectator II was