Year: 1875

An EukaAsu view OF 8poAAAnk heebs
Pail Mail Gazette, April 26.I


The latest form OF entertainment
started for the benefit of the poor" is
one for which the proudest recipient of
relief need not blush. 1t is Of American
invention, and is perhaps somewhat less
ingenious and certainly less exciting
than might be expected from the great
success it has met with. Hitherto peo-
pie had sung, danced acted, done
fancy work and kept stalls at fancy fairs
"for the benefit Of the poor" The
Americans have row taken TO spelling
for the benefit Of the poor" 1t is
difficult, at first sight, to see how such
an occupation can be rendered lucra-
tive. But the Americans are skillful in
extracting profits; and with a little
goodwill money may be made out OF
almost anything. This is how it is
managed in connection with spelling
The public are invited by advertisement
to what the New Englanders call
Spelling Bee In less sinple language,
spelling Bee" might be termed an
photographic soiree." II is, in fact, an
evening assembly at which the visitors,
whose title to admission is the payment
of so many cents per head, amuse one
another aud help TO relieve the suffer
ings Of the poor by engaging in a series
Of spelling-matches. Any one whom it
pleases to do so may join in the contest,
which presents many of the characteris-
tic features Of steeplechase. The
obstacles" are found subjectively in the
ignorance Of the spoilers, effectively in
the difficulty Of the words
TO be spelled The most ordinary
words puzzle some. Others
overcome first syllable, but stumble at
the second-like gallant youth who is
reported to have attacked confusion" Z"
and who, after going over con in very
creditsble style, said, "Thats all l can
do, and retired amid laughter and ap-
plause. Such word as yacht brings
down a good many; and OF those who
get beyond this, a certain proportion pull
up in presence of asthma, or the still
more formidable "phthisis. The speller
who once breaks down is out Of the run
ming; aud it is said to take but short
time 80 to clear the platform on which the
intending competitors have to mount,
and from which, on being beaten, they
descend, that only few Of the original
number remain. Then begins the delight
Of contest. The champion spoilers" +"
as the proud survivors are called, spell
one against another. When under the
weight of some dreadful polysylla5le q
champion succumbs, the strife between
those who still remain becomes more and
more, severe; and the three champions
who hold Quito the last, having shown
themselves competent to deal with
everything in Webster which can be- or
at least has been. brought against them,
are 6guratively crowned with flowers and
substantially rewarded with prizes of q
certain value. Allowing for small out
lay on this head, and for the cost Of the
room, the whole proceeds from the sale Of
tickets are given, in some form or other,
to the poor.


The pleasure to be derived from sue
cess in competitive spelling is at least
an innocent one. The victor in a
spelling bee" can suffer none Of the
remorse by which the recollection of so
many triumphs of grander but more
cruel kind must be embittered. The
vanquished, too, may console themselves
by rejecting that writer's Of distinction
have sometimes hesitated whether in the
word receive the "ep should be placed
before the q" or the ''i'' before the "e;"
that but for the friendly and necessary
aid of printers readers" scarcely a
journal would be published without an
error, here and there, IN the spelling Of
a word; that, spite of the assistance and
supervision given by these gentlemen
and the word debut" is in most. of our
newspapers printed debut" that it took
the Times many q long year to learn
that diocese" should not be spelt do
cess;' and that nothing less than a Fran
co.German war was required to teach il
that the name of Bismarck" ought not
to be spelled in the Gallo manner with.
out the C." Then in all special depart.
ments there are special words which
no one but protested specialists need be
ashamed not to know; and if we can
grapple with all the new scientific words
derived from the Greek, the best Of US
may retire. without fear and without re-
proach, from before words imported dt