The Old-Time Spelling School; In Three PartsEllenbecker, John G.
General
The Old-Time Spelling School; In Three Parts
Ellenbecker, John G.
Spelling bees -- Poetry; Stories in rhyme
Correctly Polly Key spelled “gondolier”;
John Cottrell subjugated “porcelain”;
Then Monnie Strickler right spelled “brigadier”;
And Florence Benson perfect got “domain.”
Then Ida Kister took “fragility”;
And Lena Fulton won “tranquility.”
Now Walter Cockerill won on “guitar”;
Some lass from Herkimer sad took her seat
Because from “arrogance” she dropped an “r”;
Teresa Schmidler made that word complete.
Next Gertrude Talbot spelled the word “musician,”
And Oscar Severns, ditto, “statistician.”
Pierce Hickey now scored perfect on “sebaceous”;
“Sapphire” was won by Agnes Butterfield.
Sam Guise went down before the term “cetaceous”--
Some thought a-purpose to vacate the field.
Then Katie Armstrong spelled the word correctly;
And Edward Keller barely got “exactly.”
Now Maggie Ellenbecker got “parquet;”
And Peter Schumacher o’ercame “coupon;”
Next Bertha Heister didn’t miss “roundelay;”
Nor Robert Cottrell lose the word “chiffon.”
But thus it was not with ye humble bard:
He found the word “campaign” a type too hard.
That word was mastered then by Dora Watson;
And Rosa Bull came through with “masquerade.”
“Frontier” was vanquished next by Charlie Fulton;
While Jennie Rogers won on “cavalcade.”
Next Matthew Schumacher o’ercame “convene;”
And Charlie Benson likewise “tambourine.”
Next came “adobe.” O how this word mowed them!
It first o’erpowered Frederick Stauffacher;
Then Nicholas Koppes; and Johnie Brennan;
Ernie Rockwell; and Caspar Stauffacher.
Then Mamie Hartwell spelled the fiend aright;
And Webster’s Frank scored on “theodolite.”
Clear Arthur Cottrell steered with “bagatelle”;
Sam Parish too with the word “government”;
Then Edith Talbot won “perennial”;
And Blanche McFarland got “inhabitant.”
Now Anna Ellenbecker caught “conceal”;
Likewise Mark Spealman triumphed o’er “appeal.”
Next Tina Raemer captured “immigrate”;
“Identify” was spelled by Anna Key.
Nicholas Kerschen won with “arbitrate”;
And William Raemer scored on “legatee.”
“Ensign” was won by Willard Travelute;
And Emma Hunt came home with “parachute.”
Next Philip Raemer failed on “troubadour,”
But Maggie Thompson mended his mistake.
Then Sophie Feil spelled the word “amateur,”
Altho it made her just a trifle shake.
But she was not alone in this distress;
For many others trembled more or less.
Now Sophie Stauffacher spelled “agriculture”;
And William Cottrell scored on “volunteer.”
Then “parliament” was won by Bertha Raemer;
Frank Bachoritch survived on “commandeer.”
By Mary Brennan was spelled “minimum”;
And Henry Kister got “geranium.”
Then Charlie Feil went down on “cataclysm”:
He put into the word too many “y’s”;
Sophie Sedlacek spelled it. “Feudalism,”
By Katie Stauffacher. But “systematize”
Quick, Niemann’s Fred and Raemer’s George set free,
While Lottie Hunt scored high as referee.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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