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.