It shows she'd ruther live in
the city than in the country--so it's all up with 'Rast. That proves
she's from Chicago er some other big place. Ed's gettin' eight dollars a
week down there at Lamson's. By gum, that boy's doin' well! I used to
think he wouldn't amount to nothin'. It shows that the best of us git
fooled in a feller once in a while. To-morrow night I'll go out to the
spellin'-match, an' when the chanct comes I'll sidle up to her an'
whisper her real name in her ear. I bet four dollars an' a half that'll
fetch her purty prompt. Doggone, these here sheets air cold! It's forty
below zero right here in this bed."
Anderson Crow soon slept, but he did not dream of the tragedy the next
night was to bring upon Tinkletown, nor of the test his prowess was to
endure.
The next night and the "spellin'-bee" at school No. 5 came on apace
together. It was bitterly cold and starlight. By eight o'clock the warm
schoolhouse was comfortably filled with the "spellers" of the
neighbourhood, their numbers increased by competitors from Tinkletown
itself. In the crowd were men and women who time after time had "spelled
down" whole companies, and who were eager for the conflict. They had
"studied up" on their spelling for days in anticipation of a hard
battle in the words. Mrs. Borum and Mrs. Cartwill, both famous for their
victories and for the rivalry that existed between them, were selected
as captains of the opposing sides, and Miss Banks herself was to "give
out" the words.
Pages:
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108