Show rn Short Story of th Day rn ft THE SPELLING SCHOOL BY a C. B. B LEWIS C Copyright W 2 by the S. S S. S McClure I Company Compan 7 When the school board of district No 5 B 6 which Included the hamlet of Bebee's Corners announced that they had engaged engaged engaged en en- a for the winter term instead of a schoolmaster there was much wondering among the tat fahn- h uses as to how she ahe would manage things For three successive winters I j the had been thrashed by t gang a-gang of bad boys led by hulking Joe Whitman and folks predicted that the i new ew teacher would be picked up carried out and dropped into luto a snowdrift the thet t firs a 5 Seth Thomas a young farmer f r over overto to the railroad station to meet l r Baker when her bet school was ready to open and his surprise was reflected on onI onI I aU s She was a a. slip of a girl lel less lessI s I I than 2 20 26 years old and shy and this I was her oer first school She had taken it 5 Q 0 beca e her mother was an art invalid and tI her tt er had failed in business but butr f r that ca e out afterward That a good- good I looking young oung woman like Miss 1 Baker should take a country school at 25 25 a month Instead of getting married I was a mystery no nl one could solve I Seth Thomas homas s was 2 23 years old and he heRIse RIse also was waR shy During the three mile drive the pair lId IUd not exchange a hunI hun hun- I dred words R Seth Reth th was awed and scared I h by the hIs good looks and she was t frightened nf ned at coming among strangers M She was waR dr driven ven to the Carsons' Carsons where she ehe w was as to board and the she he saw no more of Seth for a fortnight Her only re remembrance remembrance remembrance re- re of him was that he had a plain natured good face and a pleasant voice During this fortnight Bob Graham walked home with her from school on several occasions Jim Taylor made two calls at the Carson Carsons' Carsons Tom Lane drove her to school one stormy morning and Charley Saunders acknowledged the most stylish young farmer for live five miles around escorted her to evening church services cervices and home again Her school had start started d oft off bravely and she had no idea that It was all owing to the bashful bashful bashful bash bash- ful Seth He had been afraid to call on her but he wasn't afraid to meet Joe JoeI Whitman and his crowd the day before school opened and to say to them I Look here now You boys have got gotto gotto gotto to behave yourselves this winter If It you give that little one bit bitof of trouble Ill I'll thrash every everyone one of you till vou ou cant can't crawl home There was a difference of at opinion until until until un un- un- un til Seth had picked licked each up UI separately shaken moat of the deviltry out of hinand him hin and then driven him head first into a snowdrift That settled the question Of f mutiny Later on when he had worked up the courage to call on the new teacher teach teach- er or she was lying down with a headache and asked to be excused Two weeks later wh when n he called ed again she happened happened happened hap hap- to be out Seth did not try again He lie got the idea that sho she didn't care to see him and though willing to acknowledge acknowledge acknowledge ac ac- ac- ac knowledge to himself that he was as home- home Jy ly angular and awkward It hurt him that she should think so She must think so of course as she was always at home to other young men and they lost no opportunity of boasting of how flatteringly they were received Six weeks after school opened Seth was driving past the sch schoolhouse one day when the sounds of ot a disturbance reached his ears Joe Whitman had forgotten his shaking up and decided to break loose That meant carrying Miss Baker outdoors and ducking her in a a. snowdrift but there was a loose wheel wheelin in the He had Just started for the door with her In his arms when Seth Thomas walked In Presto it was Joe who found the snowdrift The would have taken Seth by the hand and thanked him but when he had concluded the performance he drove away without a look toward the schoolhouse Then the girls girl's Irl's Intuition Intuition intuition tion told her that the awkward Seth was an admirer who felt himself snubbed and for tor the next four weeks she hoped he lie might call on her or 01 that they might meet elsewhere and have an explanation He avoided her however though If he had but known It she gave more thought to hint him than to all the others There was AVAS always a midwinter spellIng spelling spell spell- Ing school at the Corners Teachers and pupils of other schools were Invited and the victqr of the contest was re regarded regarded regarded re- re as th the smartest thins on earth At the spelling school the year before the championship had been wrested from No 6 by No j and the schoolmaster schoolmaster school school- I master mastel of the latter district had his saLary salary salary sal sal- ary raised 3 per month This fact In Invested invested invested in- in vested the coming contest with more mOle than usual excitement A day or two to before the contest Miss 1 Baker learned that Seth lived just oyer the line in district No 6 He would therefore be an opponent and no matter matter matter mat mat- ter how deficient he was In other branches he Was vas accounted a prodigy in orthography He feels that I have snubbed him and he Is now going to have revenge on me I wish he only knew how sorry I am The schoolhouse was Jammed with teachers pupils and parents and all recognized the fact was No 5 versus No 6 The teacher of No 6 was wasa a young man but he was there to win in if he could and so BO were his best spell- spell I ers Queerly enough Ugh en it came about that Miss Baker and Seth Thomas headed the opposition lists and they were opposite op op- op each other as Squire Jameson took the spelling book and gave out the first word Tl Things ings went easy at first but when he came to the four syllable words the ranks began to thin Fifteen I minutes later there were only five on a side Ten minutes more and only six I In all were standing four of whom were I No Then the the word separate knocked two of the latter and the contest went on n for a few minutes with two on a side si Th Then n came the word and Miss Baker a and d Seth Thomasf Vere alone on the floor There were yelling ng and cheering followed followed followed fol fol- fol- fol lowed by as the squire looked for fol the hardest words I shall be beaten sighed the school school- maam ma'am an and the whole district will be humiliated If Ift It t were anybody but Seth who thinks I meant to snub him I wouldn't are so much I wish I wish I wish wish j 1 We will tow resume Interrupted the squire and with solemn deliberation deliberation deliberation delibera delibera- tion he gave out a score of big words In succession In time he must reach the word Miss 1 Baker Baker Ba Da- ker knew itT Iwas vas there and nd she knew she always blundered over it and If It came to her the he championship was gone It came to Seth eth however and for the first time l n he rals d his eyes from the floor ar ard looked Into hers hors She did nut not read reven reverse there but self sacrifice An instant ter with the audience holding Its breath he began on the word and at the ft nith t division of it put In an ana ana ana a for th the 0 o with such emphasis as asto asto asto to give gl her berthe the cue and as he sat down she spelled the word ight at which the champions of of f No IMO 5 almost lifted the roo roof with their yells An hour later as ns ashe he walked up the road to Carsons' Carsons beside beside beside be be- side her she asked But t why did yo you ou do It I am sure you ou misspelled the word on purpose I I-I I I guess it was for love replied Seth as he turned his head away and stubbed hi his toes Into the snow I |