Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1917-02-14
Hardscrabble Debating Club
OrQanIZed

And It came to pass on the eleventh
month in the nineteenth day of the
month, Ammo Domino, MDCCC, LXII,
that there was held an old-time spell
ing school in a schoolhouse made of
logs, nigh unto a place called Kidd
vile, where was much water, dam
and an old mill, where lumber was
sawed out of the timber in that re-
gion, some of which was converted
into milk safes and tanning mills.
Now Kiddville was the center OF
gravitation in those days for it pos
sessed men Of ability and culture
and those well-skilled in the handling
of merchandise, and the fame and
name of the town was known in all
the regions round about as far as
Grattan on the west and beyond Ionia
on the south, and in the land of the
Bushnell and Paloites on the east and
on the north by Podunk in the Waba-
sis country and Greenville.
Howbeit when all the country
round about heard of the spelling
school many of the people were mind
ed to go for there were good spoilers
in those days.
At night the old log schoolhouse
was filled to OVERLOOKING; some COM
brought bob-sleigh loads full of peo-
pie sitting in the bottom of the box
covered with straw and blankets. The
teacher, Miss Augusta Gladstone,
gathered up all the lanterns and tai
low candies in the crowd and their
Pickering light filled the room. Ev-
erybody wore a beaming counten-
ance and was happy and jolly. There
was no caste. The teacher raped
for order on the old pine desk and
stated that as it was the last day of
school exercises wer had in the af
ternoon and she had proposed to close
with the spelling school in the even
ing. Now it came to pass that what
Augusta said was law and gospel and
no one could gainsay her or endeavor
to thwart her plans. All THE big
scholars called her "Gusta" for short
and the kids teacher" while the par
ents addressed her as miss Glad
stone" Before choosing sides for
the spelling down" she said the
whole company would rise and sing
america" and asked Ike Douglas,
who was musician and who had a
tuning fork with him, to strike the
key. Ike got the tune pitched a lit
tie high, but they managed to get
through with the song, with an &C.
casional discord on the high and low
notes. "Gusta" complimented the
singers but said she noticed three or
four big boys in the back corner who
did not get up, but sat there and
whispered and talked out loud and
she told them if it occurred again the
whole bunch would have to leave, as
their room was worth more than their
company.
Jim Bludsoe was one Of the bunch.
He was considered quite bully, in
fact, he thought himself the best
man anywhere to be found in all the
country Whereabouts. Jim and the
bunch with him were from the region
of Shanty Plains and evidently came
to the spelling school looking for
trouble. Howbeit there were those
who knew that Jim, although he had
the proportions of an OK and possess
ed sleeps eyes, was a buffer and a
four-fusher. Some of the people who
were of this mind were jewellers in
the vicinity and around the borders
of Long Lake, one of whom was
Jimmy McFadden-small of stature,
tough and wiry, and who had the dis
tinction of being able to roll himself
up like a ground hog during scuffie
and fight like wild cat Jimmy was
at the spelling school.
The teacher said she would have
the scholars give some of the after
noon program for the benefit of those
who did not hear it, and that while
the children were reciting, perfect or
der must reign. (She said this fash
ing an eye over in the corner) After
Thomas Higgins had stirred up the
fire and snuffed all the candles which
had begun to flicker and cause the
tallow to run down their sides, Little
Matte Mason sang, Lilly Dale"
with emotion and sweetness, the first
lines of which were, Twas calm
still bright and the moon shone bright