THE SPELLING MATCH
During the fall season there were husking-bees where merry parties
gathered to put away great piles of corn, partake of bountiful dinners
and play games in the evening. There were also a number of log-rollings
and new barn-raisings, at all of which Abe Lincoln seemed to be a
favorite. In fact, the ungainly clerk in Offutt's store had come to
be about the most popular man in town among the men, boys and married
women. He did not, however, pay any special attention to the girls, and
this seemed out of the regular order, especially as they had a friendly
feeling for him.
With the coming of Christmas there was preparation for much simple
gift-giving. Ann Rutledge especially took this holiday time for
remembering more folks than any other girl in New Salem.
One gift she had worked on with no small amount of pleasure was a gray
yarn muffler for Abe Lincoln.
"He goes to all the debates and he might get sore throat," Ann
explained to her mother when asking her permission to make the gift.
"Besides, he hasn't any people and nobody else might remember about
him."
"You're a good girl to try to save Abe Lincoln's throat for the
Debatin' Society," Mrs. Rutledge had said, laughing. "There'd be an
awful long stretch of stiff neck if cold got into him."
Another of Ann's gifts was a fruit-cake bear made by her own hands for
Ole Bar.
When she presented Abe Lincoln with his gift, it proved such a pleasant
surprise that he was rendered for the moment speechless. At the same
time she handed him the cake. "Give it to poor Ole Bar," she had said.
"He seems to be all alone in the world, and I'm afraid nobody will
think of him."
Ole Bar, as Abe Lincoln had been, was too much surprised to find words
for adequate expression. The next day, however, he returned to the
store and as soon as he got a chance to talk with the clerk alone he
said, "Abry Linkhorn, me son Abry, every man what's a man and not a
pipe-crower in breeches, mates. The Lord God made 'em that way, same as
bars what brushes fur and courts in their own decent way. Fur reasons
that no man hasn't been able to pick out of me, I haven't got me no
Mollie and haven't no use for wimmin. But all them as isn't crippled
nor fools nor too old to tote sticks, gets them one at some time. Now
you git Ann Rutledge."
"But Ann Rutledge is goin' to be married next year to another man," Abe
Lincoln said.
"Say, Abry, me son, did you ever hear of a bar standin' back like a
holler-headed pip-jack when his Mollie was paradin' round in front of
his eyes just because he thought some other bar was goin' to git her
next year! If I must speak fer you, you never did. Nature comes fust.
Just you git your own Mollie and let the other feller look out fer
hisself."
"But she's promised, Ole Bar. She has given her honorable word."
Ole Bar chewed rapidly a moment. Then he stopped suddenly and said
with decision, "Tain't nothin' to that. Wimmin is like bars. The best
fighter gits the best female. If you show her what everybody else
knows, that you're twice the man that deer-faced penny-grabber of hern
is, she's yours, promise or no promise. Git Ann Rutledge. Tain't
nobody in forty years has thought of Ole Bar and sent him a present.
She'll think of ye, Abry Linkhorn, _think_ of ye. Ain't it worth
fightin' fer to have somebody to _think_ of ye? Ain't Ann Rutledge
worth fightin' fer?"
Abraham admitted she was worth fighting for, and he thought of this the
night of the big spelling-match.
For the development of pioneer talent the New Salem Debating Society
had been formed that winter, and had held some interesting meetings.
There had been a number of men's meetings for the discussion of
political subjects, which Abe Lincoln attended, but he had not yet
appeared at the Debating Society.
The spelling-match was to be preceded by a debate on the question,
"Resolved that the negro is more unjustly treated than the Indian?" Abe
Lincoln had been invited to take one side, whichever he chose, and had
said he didn't care which he took, he could win. So he was given the
negro side.
On the night of the important occasion the little school house was
packed with men and women and children. Candles gleamed brightly on
shingles which had been fastened into the chinks of the logs, and a big
fire burned in the wide fireplace.
When Abe Lincoln arose to speak it seemed that his head would hit the
rafters before he finally got straightened up. He wore jean pants five
inches above his shoe tops, below which an expanse of blue yarn socks
showed. His collarless shirt was fastened at the neck with a big white
button. His coat-tail was so short that to sit on it would have been
an impossibility, his heavy shock of black hair stood out sideways,
and, as he ran his hands down into his pantaloon pockets and stood for
a moment as if embarrassed, a smile passed over the audience and they
awaited eagerly the funny stories they thought he would tell, ready to
burst into laughter.
After announcing his subject and beginning his speech, his hands
came out of his pockets and his embarrassment disappeared. He forgot
his surroundings in the earnestness of the thoughts he was giving
expression to, and the men and women before him forgot they were not
hearing a funny story and leaned forward listening earnestly. "One man
says to another," he said, "'You work, you toil, you earn the bread,
and I will eat it.' But I say to you that whether it be a king with a
crown on his head that says this, or whether it be a class with the
power to force men, it all means slavery for the man whose toil, whose
work, whose labor is not his own.... Peter Cartwright and others say
the question of slavery or no slavery is spreadin', and that unless it
is settled there will come war.... Why don't the Government buy the
slaves and set them free? This would be right--this would be just--this
might save human life and great expense which at last has to be paid by
human labor." Then he told them about a slave-pen he had seen in New
Orleans where men were sold as the farmers about New Salem sold hogs,
and he gave utterance to that basic thought of Democracy that no man is
great enough to control another man's freedom of thought or action.
Ann Rutledge sat with her father and mother. "There's something besides
wit under that mop of black hair," Rutledge whispered as Abe Lincoln
sat down. The homely orator was loudly cheered, Ann Rutledge with
smiling face clapping heartily. Lincoln glanced her way, and as his
eye rested on her for a moment he thought of Ole Bar's advice.
Then the spelling-match was called. Sides were chosen and rows of young
people from the age of Sis Rutledge to that of John McNeil formed
one on each side of the room. Mentor Graham gave out the words from
Webster's "Speller," examples of their use being required as well as
spelling.
Abe Lincoln and John McNeil were on the same side, Ann Rutledge stood
opposite.
The schoolmaster opened the book toward the front, for an easy
beginning.
"Nag", he gave out.
"N-a-g--My nag runs in the lot."
"Bib."
"B-i-b--Put on his new bib."
"Rude."
"R-u-d-e--A rude girl will romp in the street."
"Coach."
This word three sat down on. It was finally spelled.
"C-o-a-c-h--Few men can afford to keep a coach."
"Spark."
"S-p-a-r-k--What John McNeil does to Ann Rutledge when Pa goes to bed."
A roar of laughter greeted this definition from Sis Rutledge in which
John Rutledge joined heartily. Dr. Allen who sat opposite Abe Lincoln
looked toward him. There was a smile on his face, but it almost
instantly passed, and gave place to an expression the Doctor did not
have time to study, for the match was going on.
"Pester."
"P-e-s-t-e-r--Never pester little boys."
"Fore-top."
"F-o-u-r----"
"Next!" called the master.
"F-o-r-e-t-o-p--The hair over the forehead is called the foretop."
"Pompions."
"P-o-m-p-i-o-n-s--Pompions are now commonly called pumpkins.
"Frounce."
"F-r-o-w----"
"Next!" called the master, and several sat down before it was spelled.
"F-r-o-u-n-c-e--To frounce is to curl or frizzle the hair."
"Experience," the word was given to Abe Lincoln.
"E-x-p-e-r-i-e-n-c-e--Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will
learn in no other."
"Love"--the word was given to McNeil.
A giggle went around the room and the words, "John McNeil," were
whispered as he spelled "L-o-v-e--love."
"Give the definition," the master said.
"Love is--is--love--is"--John McNeil hesitated and stopped.
"Who knows what love is?" Mentor Graham asked.
Half a dozen hands were raised, among them the big hand of Abe Lincoln,
which seemed reaching into the rafters.
"Abe Lincoln," called the master.
"Love is an agreeable passion; love is sometimes stronger than death,
and folks that love know it."
Mentor Graham dropped his eye on the open page of the spelling book.
"Where did you get your definition?" he asked.
"From the book," Abe Lincoln replied.
"I mean the part that is not in the book?"
"I got that from--from----" and the big, homely youth hesitated, and
then said, "that's just plain horse-sense."
"Blasphemy" was the next word given out. It was John McNeil's turn to
spell.
"B-l-a-s-p-h-e-m-y--A contemptuous treatment of God." McNeil spoke
clearly and glanced toward Ann as if for approval.
After fifteen minutes of spelling, half the lines were seated. Ann
Rutledge, John McNeil and Lincoln were standing. It was John's turn
again.
"Relict."
"R-e-l-e----"
"Next!" said the master, and the word crossed the line to Ann.
"R-e-l----" she hesitated a moment and glanced toward Abe Lincoln who
now stood opposite her. He had raised his hand to his face and one of
his long fingers pointed to his eye.
"R-e-l-i-c-t----" she said slowly--"A relict is a woman whose husband
is dead."
Again there was a titter and somebody whispered quite audibly, "John
McNeil." But McNeil was not laughing. He had seen Abe Lincoln give a
sign to Ann that had made her a better speller than himself.
Gradually the lines thinned until only eight remained. Then the master
gave the word "Seraphim."
"S-e-r-y----"
"Next!"
"S-e-r-r-y----"
"Next!"
"S-a-r-a-h----"
"Next!"
"C-e-r-i----"
"Next!"
"C-e-r-y----"
"Next!"
"C-e-r-r-i----"
"Next!"
"S-e-r-r----"
"Next!"
It was now Lincoln's time. He had been waiting coolly. All eyes were
upon him as he slowly spelled, "S-e-r-a-p-h-i-m."
"Correct!" said Mentor Graham. "Abraham Lincoln is the champion speller
of New Salem until his better proves himself."
There was an outburst of applause. Lincoln started to take his seat,
but the master motioned to him to keep his place. The room grew quiet.
"The definition, Abe Lincoln?" he said.
"The kind of folks we may associate with if we keep out of the Slough
of Despond," answered Lincoln.
"Tell us where you got it," Mentor Graham said.
"I found it in Bunyan's 'Pilgrim's Progress' one night as I lay before
the fire tryin' to learn something new. There was a wolf howlin' down
in the timber. I tried to learn a new word between each howl. This was
the third."
John McNeil walked home with Nance Cameron after the spelling-match.
"Where is John McNeil?" Mrs. Rutledge asked as Ann joined them just
outside the door, for he was always on hand to walk with her.
"He's walking home with Nance Cameron," Ann answered.
"What's that for?"
"I guess he wants to tell her something," she said. But she too
wondered, for he had not spoken to her, had not even seemed to see her,
as he passed with Nance.
Others noticed this also, among them Dr. Allen and Abe Lincoln. But
they make no comment as they walked down the roadway together.