The Stroud Star. (Stroud, Okla.), Vol. 4, No. 16, Ed. 1 Friday, June 21, 1901 Page: 2 of 12
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THE STROUD STAR.
VTBOUD
OELAUOMA
Love’s Strange Spell
Bf William J. 1—fkmu •
•rw« Ik* IkUnki hal, at niluMMtta,
CkMlVklnL M*|wiul«.| k|r Sf*MM IWmIwIu*.)
i KOLKMN Mtiilnc*M perrmlnl the
A unni'liiin of ilte Korgliiitnville
Scorcher. The Exchange Firm! ohm
hlil behind n nctt*|MjM>r: 01*1 Hob
•mtHht m«i on I hi* I’oal-liox, smoking;
Vox Popnli ohm writing n prolmt
against (hr prevalence of pig* on (he
streets; anil Tax|ui.ver. who had jnitt
come in. wan hacked up to the stove.
The editor aat at IiIm table with hii
‘•hair tilted buck and Ida leg*
doubled and twisted under him. It
wan a poature of great mental en
deavor with him. There had lieen
a spelling bee at the Mehoolhouae for
the benefit of the Methodist church,
and the editor wunted to make i
feature of it.
"Glttln* ready to jump on the ad
miniatratloii or Hiimpthin’ like that?"
inquired the taxpayer, observing the
editor’s eouchant attitude.
“No," smiled the editor, “I'm try-
ing to do something extra nice for
the Methodist spelling match the
other evening.”
“I hear they tuck in $7.15," said the
taxpayer.
“Seven dollars and 17 cents,” cor-
rected Old Subscriber. "Somebody
dropped in a postage stamp that
stuck to the side of the box and
wasn't counted till after the report
was made.”
“Speakin* of spellin' bees," said the
taxpayer, addressing the editor, “do
you recollect that, time you got
floored?”
would rather hat* been with her
than anywhere on earth. All I could
•ay to her was 'yes' and *no.' hut
»he laughed and chatted with me as
If I were really worth her while and
she Intended to make a man of me
or die In the nttempt. Itut I was
mighty near hopeless, and after I
left her at the gate I slipped hack
Into town down on alley, for fear of
meeting |ieople. Itut I appreciated
what she was doing, as poorly as I
was showing It, and though with
small opport uni ties I was u fool. I
think, with great ones, I could have
been a hero for her sake. At the
same time, long-legged N'ut handers,
with his smooth tongue and bis cour-
age, had me nearly eraxy. Iiecuiise he
had taken a fancy to Alice and was
hanging around her whenever he got
the chance, which wn« a good many
tiines, for Alice liked him and was
quite proud that he paid more atten-
tion to her than he did to any of the
other girls.”
If you got any of that excelsior to
spare I'd like a bite,” said the tax
payer to the old subscriber who hod
opened a package of fine-cut chewing
tobacco.
“I should think it was like dessert
to you after rutin’ that long green,
grunted the old subscriber, kindly
handing the puekage over to him.
Well," resumed the editor, “things
stood thut way when the great spell-
lag bee came off and everybody in
the town was there. Of course, I
couldn't escape, and I guess I didn't
want to, because us bashful as I was
I was proud to be pointed out as the
best speller in the county, Nat Lan
ders to the contrary notwithstand
ing. The bee consisted of various
tests, individual, and choosing sides
and that sort, but the feature of the
occasion was a prize oil painting in
a gilt frume that was to go to the
best speller in the final contest,
when every person in the house, ex-
cept the teacher, was to line up on
one side or the other and spell down.
As might have been expected, Nat
Landers was captain of one side and
I was enptnin of the other, and wo
soon had our sides marshaled
against eucli other. I wanted to
Everybody became attentive, for
county-wide reputn-1 choose' Alice" the"very first” one, but
I wouldn’t have done it for the
tion as a speller.
“Don’t I?" laughed the editor. “I
guess I'd be a bachelor if it hadn't
been for that.”
"I’ve clean forgot," reflected the
old subscriber. “How was it, any-
how?”
The editor undoubled and swung
half around in his chair to face his
auditors.
“Um-uin," he said, getting his start
Rlowly, “it was thirty-odd years ago
and I was scant 24. I was a young
printer and it was my business to
know how to spell. I had the knack
besides, and nobody in the whole
community could stand up with me
except a long-legged chap who had
been in the town a year or so. He
was a book agent, and a nice enough
fellow, only he was stuck on himself
and thought all the girls were, too.
As for me, I couldn’t do anything
much but stick type and spell, and
I was so thundering bashful that the
girls had no use for me except to
have fun with me, and make me wish
they had all been born boys or birds,
or anything but girls. All but one
that was Alice Smith, who was so
good, and so nice to everybody that
she couldn't have been otherwise
to me if she had wanted to be. And
t returned her kindness by thinking
of her all day and dreaming of her
at night, and blushing clear back to
my collar button every time I saw
her. Of course everybody knew
•bout it, and everybody, except
Alice, teased me about it.”
The old subscriber grinned in re-
membrance.
“I went to Sunday school in those
lays," continued the editor, “where
Alice taught, and she often cornered
me and talked to me in spite of my-
•elf, just because she was sorry for
me. Sometimes she would make me
walk home with her from the church,
•ad although I stumbled along like
» blind mule and got as red aa a
we met aarbodx. I
world, and Nat did it as easy as he
could sell u book. And it wasn’t be-
cause Alice was such a good spell-
er, either. Alice’s spell was of a
different kind.”
Huh," snickered the Exchange
Fiend, who was conversant with the
comic columns of the newspapers.
The Editor smiled and went on
with his story: “The teaeher had a
McGuffey’s and a Webster’s spelling-
book, and he began nt the beginning
where the words were easy and the
poorest spellers could have some sort
of a show. This act of mercy was
of short duration, however, and the
teacher was soon over among the
hard words, and the victims began
dropping all along the line. A dozen
or more still stood and battled nobly,
blit one by one they joined those
gone before, until no one was left
except Landers and myself. By this
time I was getting pretty nervous.
All along I had been looking at the
picture, and I had made up a dozen
little speeches I intended to say to
Alice when it was mine, for I had
no wish to win the prize, except to
give it to her. She had been spelled
down ^arly in the fray, for, os I said,
Alice never was n star speller, but
that was not what I was loving her
for, and I didn’t care a continental
if she couldn’t spell cat, if she would
only let me love her, and some day
—but I was afraid to think of that
—win her for myself. Now I was so
nervous I couldn’t look at the pic-
ture, and as for looking nt Alice, 1
didn't care so much os to turn my
eyes toward the other side of the
room where she sat looking at
both of us, but I could see Nut
smiling over ut her and grinning con-
fidently every time he rattled off a
big word aa easy as saying ‘Jack Rob-
inson.* ”
“1 don't seem to remember any
Jack Robinson." said the Old Sub-
scriber, absent-mindedly, aa ha
looked Inquiringly In ike direct Ian
of tke Taxpayer, who shook bin head
In warning.
"Finally," eon tinned the Editor,
“the leather gave up the spelling*
book ami opened the big dietionary.
It was a silent tribute to our abll-
Ity that called for a murmur of ap<
|»laut» all over the house.
" ’Abracadabra/ lie called out for
a starter, ami Nat look it on the fly
without trying.
“'Apagoge.* he uext announced,
and I finished It promptly.
“ ‘Asyndeton.*
"Nat spelled It without turning a
a hair.
•* ‘Aurora borealis.’
"It was my turn, uml ilic
flew to my face nml my knee
bled, lornl knows what was the j
mutter with me, but the place seemed
to lie whirling, ami all I could see
was a girl’s face swinging around
in the jumble before me. I felt my
Adam's apple coming into my mouth,
but I choked it nuek with a gasp,
and began spelling very slowly, syl-
lable by a.vliable.
A-u, nu, r-o. ro. a u ro, r-a. ra. a urora;
b-o, bo, r-c, re, bo-re—' ami there 1
stumbled and stopped, and the house
became very still. Nat lenders stood
looking at me with a smile on hia
handsome face, which, to me, was
little short of fiendish. One of the
ghoulish glee kind, you know’.
" ‘Go on,’ said the teacher, lift-
ing his eyes over his spectacles, nml
letting them fall on me in mild sur-
prise. ‘You have only u half minute
to a word.'
“ *A-u,au,r-o,ro, r-a, ra, aurora; b-o,
bo, r-e, re, bo-re—’ I proceeded, rath-
er more glibly than on the first trial,
but I stopped at the same point
again and the teacher looked up and
waited for me to go on.
“ ‘Alis/ he suggested, as he could
under the rule when a speller was
stalled, and he gave the ‘a’ the short
sound as the word was generally pro-
uounced.
“ ‘A-l-i-c-e/ I blurted out, in spite
of all I could do, for I knew that
was not the way to spell it, and down
I sat.
“Landers and the teacher and
everybody who knew how to spell
the word, because it wasn’t a hard
one, fairly shouted, and all the oth-
ers soon joined them, while poor
Alice looked at me, blushing and em-
barrassed, as if she never, never
could forgive me for being so out-
rageously silly. The moment I fin-
ished the word Landers caught it up
and spelled it right, and I dashed out
of the schoolhouse bareheaded, and
ran away into the darkness to hide
iny shame. Of course, everybody
after that knew the joke I had put
on myself, but nobody had charity
enough to see the pathetic side of
it and offer me any sympathy. That
is, nobody did then, and when Land-
ers had given the picture to Alice,
people said it was sure to be a
match; but the following Sunday
Alice made me walk home with her,
and I had suffered so since the spell-
ing bee that some better sense had
come to me, and—well,” the editor
smiled cheerfully and resignedly, “I
guess Taxpayer here and Old Sub-
scriber know my wife’s name ia
Alice.”
“And a fine woman she is,” nod-
ded the Old Subscriber.
“A plumb thoroughbred,” corrobo-
rated the Taxpayer with confidence.
The Editor bowed, doubled himself
up. and again resumed his labors.
Tit# riaiai
im l*aa •
nude I ha mim*» ample |<iv|wt»lluM t« ar
, twitor* lo ib* Mil Mu* mm
A nrw Haw ««• HMUguiMitHi Jua* i.
known *• ih* "Ikiioti ami N*« Vurk
lUlilrM," which'leave* UMlWfl Hutton,
t Imago. at 1L3J a. at. The rquipmeet is
turn «ml fttrtril* up-to-date. every comfort
u! lit* Wavelet bring provided (or. Meat*
«r« oived « In curt* between t hicago and
Nrw York al any hour to Mill thevomrea
leave of natron*.
From I bur Pit ih« train Mined* eastward,
•topping en route at Mi. Clemen*, who**
water* are lamuim the world over, leaving
lb* Mate al Fort Huron, and entering Can-
ada via the great "St. t lair Tunnel, that
marvel o! englnvei mg, pa**ing during the
night thruugb the important ettie* ol Lou-
hot I do oil dun and Hamilton, ero«*o»g the magnilieent
ee» trent- *1111119 areh double track steel bridge over
the Niagara Gorge, attivmg at Niagara
Fall*. N. Y., at 4-25 a. tu., a here Mop-over
may, under certain condition*, be made
without additional co-t by deposit of rail
wav ticket with agent.
Buffalo, the Pan-American City, i-
rcadied at <1.15 a. m., where -top-over i«
grunted on ticket* lo |>oiuta beyond Buffalo,
on payment of $1.
The trip ca»t of Buffalo via the Lehigh
Valley Railroad through the lake region of
New York State in like through a
fairyland of beauty. The view of the his-
toric Wyoming Valley from the mountain*
which arise on either side ia strikingly
beautiful—one which the traveler will long
remember, even when gazing upon scene-
of wider fame.
At South Bethlehem connection is made
for Philadelphia, which is reached at 3.47
p. m.
New York is reached at 4.33 p. m., a
most convenient iiour, as it allows ample
time to reach hotel or residence, dine lei-
surely. and enjoy the whole evening in tlu*
city.
For sleeping car reservations on all trains,
and for any additional information, apply
to J. H. Rurgis, City Pass, and Ticket
Agent. 249 Clark St., corner Jackson Boule-
vard, Chicago, III.
Golan Too Far.
"This ' reckless speculation must be
stopped," said the earnest citizen to the
trust magnate.
"Indeed it must,” agreed the latter. "In-
deed, it must. Why, yesterday two or three
fellows who are not in our crowd at all
made several thousand dollars by taking
flyers. That sort of thing won’t do/’— Bal-
timore American.
Impressed Ipou His Notice.
The various features for which the Lacka-
wanna Railroad has become noted are in-
voluntarily impressed upon the notice of
the passenger, who realizes the luxury of
hotel or club appointment in the electric
lights; the smooth-running journals of tke
wheels; the extraordinary cleanliness made
possible by the use of anthracite coal, avoid-
ing all dust and nauseating smoke; the
consciousness of being always on time—
which comforts force an ease of mind and
body most favorable to the enjoyment of
the unsurpassed scenery through which its
lines pass. It is but the natural sequence
that the Lackawanna is prosperous in like
degree to its excellence of service, and its
warm friends are equal in number to its
whole list of patrons, for once to test its
service means an ardent admirer and friend
earned for the road.—Van Etten Breese.
Ancient Pet In Ceylon.
The most curious reminder of Hol-
land’s sway in Ceylon is a living
creature, a grand old tortoise sup-
posed to have belonged, to one of the
Dutch governors some 200 years ago.
He is very docile and ever ready to
attract the attention of anyone who
ia likely to offer him a plantain. The
tortoise is so large that he can carry
several boys on his back at one time.
A Perfect Match.
Patience—Doesn’t that rose matek
her hair perfectly?
Patrice—Yes; you know it's an arti-
ficial rose.—Yonkers Stal
No Bye for Home Comfort*.
Mrs. Muggins—My husband is the most
unreasonable man alive.
Mrs. Buggins—What has lie done now ?
"I’ve been at him for six months to buy
some new furniture for the parlor, and he
has just paid $40,000 for an old seat in the
stock exchange.”—Philadelphia Record.
Do lour Feet Ache and Burnt
Shake into your shoes, Allen’s Foot-Ease
a powder for the feet. It makes tight or New
Shoes Feel Easy Cures Corns, Itching,
Swollen, Hot, Callous, Smarting, Sore and
Sweating Feet. All Druggists and Shoe
Stores sell it, 25c. Sample sent FREE. Ad-
dress, Allen S. Olmsted, Le Roy, N. Y.
A Broad Hint.
Mr. Staylate—Aw—Miss Dimples,
have such dreamy eyes, doncher know.
Miss pimples—No, I’m just sleepy; that’*
all.—Ohio State Journal.
you
Mrs. DeStyle—“Of course, this new fur-
niture you’ve bought is quite pretty, but
it s so distressingly new. It lacks the fash-
of ai
ionable marks of age and antiquity.
DeStyle—“Never mind, it’ll be ali
Mr.
right
after the children have operated on it for
Philadel
a couple of weeks.’
lphia Press.
The more effusion a person puts into the
declaration that he would be glad tc do any-
thing be could for you. the less likely it is
that there ia anything he can do.—Indian-
apolis News.
-■ ■ •---
Piso's Cure for Consumption is sn infalli-
ble medicine for coughs and colds.—N. W.
Samuel. Ocean Grove, N. J., Feb. 17,1900.
The uses of adversity may be sweet, but
the river is still called Salt i iver.—Detroit.
Journal.
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Street, A. L. H. The Stroud Star. (Stroud, Okla.), Vol. 4, No. 16, Ed. 1 Friday, June 21, 1901, newspaper, June 21, 1901; (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc405795/m1/2/: accessed April 24, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.