Spelling Schools

Have you forgotien them ? When from all the región they gathered to the log scbool house, wiih its huge fireplace, wbich yawned like the main en trance of avernus. How the sleigh bells - the oldfashioned bells, big ia the middle of the string, and grow'mg stnall by degrees and less toward the broud bras knuckles - chimed in every direclion long before night - the Ejatheriug of the clans. There carne tu our school "The Master" - give him a capital, for he is entitled toit - Master and al! bundled into one huge, red, doublé sleigh, strewn with an abundaoce ofstraw, and tucked up likea Christinas, pie, with a score of buffalo robes. There were half a dozen cutters, each with a young man and a maiden, they two and no more. And then again a pair of jumperp, mounting a great outlandish looking bio, heaped up, pressed down, and running over, scripture measure, with a small collection of humanity piüked up en route, from a dozen houses, and all as merry as kittens in a basket otwool. And the bright eyeg, ripe, red lips, that one caught a glimpse of be-neath thoge pink-lined quilted hoods, and the silvery laugh that escaped the mufflers and tur tippets they wore then, who doee not remember ? Who can ever forget them ? The school house, destined to be the arena of conflict, has been swept and garnished ; boughs of evergreen adorn the smoke-Btained and battered walls. The pellets of chewed paper have all been swept from the ceiling, and two paÜB of water have been brought frorc the spring, and set on a benen in the entry - with an inmemorial tin cup - a wise provisión, indeed, for warm 9 that spelling room 1 The big boys have fanned and replenished the fire, till the chimney fairly jars with the roaring flames, and the sparks fly out of the top, like a furnace, the oriflame of the battle. The two " Masters" are there ; the two schools are there, nd such a hum, and such a moving to and fro 1 Will they swarm ? The ferule comes down upon the desk with etnphasis. What the roll of the drum is to the armies that "rule" is to that whispering, laughing young oompany. The challengers are on one side of the house ; the challenged on the otber. Back seats, middlo seatg, low, front Beats, all filled. Some of the fathers and grandfathers, who could, do doubt, upon suh an occasion, Shoulder the crutch, and show how fields are won, occupy the bench of honor near the desk. Now the preliminaries; the reputed best speller on each side chooses. " Susan Brown i" Out comes a roundeyed little creature, blushing like a peony. Such a little thing, and chosen iirst. " Aloses Jones 1" Out comea Moses, an awkward fellow, with a shock of red hair, shockingly harvosted, surmounted his broad brow. The girls laugh at him; but what he don't know in the " Elementary" isn't worlh knowing. "Jane Mnrray 1" Out trips Jane fluttered as a hird, and takts her place next to the caller. She's a pretty gill, but a sorry speller. Dou't you hear the vvhiapers around the house? " Wliy, that's Johu's sweeiheait." John is the leader, and a batle loat with Jane by his side would be gvveeter thaua victory won withnut her. And so they go, " calling ñames" until five or six champiims Btand forth to do battle, and the conteet is iairly begun. Down goes one after another, bh words of three Kyllables are followed by thoso of four, and these again by words of similar pronunciation and diyerse signih'cations, untjl Moties and 8uau reijiain. The spelling-book has been ehausted, yet there they stand Dictionaries are turned over, memories ransaoked for Words of learned !pgth nd sound ; uutil by aiíd by, Muses comes down lika a tree, and Suaan flutters there stil), a little leaf aloft, that tho foreat aud the füll havo forgotten. Polysyllablea follow, and by and by Susau hesitates just a breath or two, and twenty tongues are working thoir way through the labyrinth of letters n a twinkling. Little Susau sinks into the ehink left for her on the crowned seat, and there is a lull in the battle. Then they all stand in solid phalanx by schools, and the struggle is to epoll each other down. And dowu thoy go, like lenvesn winter weather, and the viutory is declared for our diatriot, aud the Bobool is dismisaed. Then comes the hurrying, the whiapering and glaucing, the pairing off and tumbling in. There are hearts that flutter and hearta that ache; " mittens" that cannot be worn ; hopea that are not realized, and fond looks that are not returned. There is jingling ainong the bells at the door; onO alter anothor of the sleighs dash up, receive their nest ling freight, and are gone. " Our Master" covers the fire and anuffs out the candles, (don't you re member how he used to pinch the smoking wiek with forefingers and thumb, and then thrust eaoh helpless luminary head first into the aocket ?), and we wait for him. The bells ring faiotly in the woods, over the hill, in the valley. They are gone The school-house is dark and tonantleM, and we alone with the night. Merry, care-free company ! Some of them are sorrowing, some dead, and all, we fear, are changed ! Spell 1 Ah ! the " spell" tbat haa come over the crowd of young dreamers - over you, over UB - will it ever, evor be dissolved ?