THE SPELLING BEE.

Evening Star, Issue 3932, 1 October 1875, Page 2

THE SPELLING BEE.

The Spelling Bee and concert, in aid of the funds of the Dunedin Cricket Club, took place at the Temperance Hall last evening, and proved a thorough success in every way. . The hall was crammed with people, and great interest was manifested in the proceedings. Mr H. S. Chapman occupied the chair, and the examiners were the Rev. R. L. Stanford, Professors M’Grecor s»d Sale, and Mr James Andersen. Mr Nome was to have assisted, but was unavoidably absent through the accident which we reported in our last night’s issue. The first part of the entertainment consisted of a short vocal and instrumental concert, after which the chairman introduced the novel business of the evening in a few appropriate remarks. The Rev. Mr Stanford then read over the rules of the competition, to use his own words—“the conditions under which our fel-low-creatures arc to be tortured.” Thirtv-two competitors took up positions on the platform, about nine of them being ladies, and two or three of them young girls. Mr Stanford opened fire with the word “abscess,’ which brought down a gentleman reported to hail from upcountry. “Chandelier” was spelt by a wellknown athlete “ chandalier,” showing that ho wanted more light, and he retired from the platform amidst a storm of howls. “Daguerreotype” was a poser to one of our cricketers, and without attempiing to spell it ho shook his head mournfully and retired ; the same word also sending the next speller to the right-about. A little girl spoiled “embarrassed” with only one “r,” and “exhilarate” proved too much for a legal gentleman. “Gazetteer’ was credited with only one “t,”aud a legal luminary and member of the City Council succumbed to “guttural,” giving it only the first “ u.” “ Garrulous” defeated a lady’s attempt, and “ hieroglyphic” was too c. implicated for a couple of male candidates. A young lady took her idea of “impugn” from the 1 ,atin insonptiun on the Caledmi-n ground’s grand stand, and “ ipecacuanha” floored no less than two ladies and two gentlemen—one of the latter a lawy r's clerk. “Inoculate” was sprit with two“nV’ and an amateur pedestrian put an “ hj” in the last syllable of “philanthropy.” “Pharaoh” was above another legal gentleman, and “ peccadillo” and “ tyrannical” found victims in two ladies. “Secrecy” was spelt “secresy,” and “ idiosyncracy ” alo with the termination “sy;”and the latter proved to be right according to the dictionary used. Mendelssohms name was supplied with only one “s, ” but as some of the speller's friends cried out that it was not a proper word to ask, he was allowed to return to the stage. For toe same reason Mr Stanford called on “ Pharaoh ” to reappear, but he succumbed to “plaguy,” inserting an “e.” The competitors were now reduced to three, and one speedily-retired through “ wassailler,” and Mr H. Rose was left winner of the first prize. Mr T. Thomson took the second, and 6!r J. Richardson the third. Miss Waldie gained the ladies’ prize. Votes of thanks to the various gentlemen officiating concluded the proceedings.