You spell tomato, I spell tomato!

My editor and I have had some discussions about changing English spellings to American when the original was penned by an Englishman -- or, in this case, an Irishman. Recently, the Associated Press Stylebook has permitted greater flexibility, but I spotted an editorendplaying quotation from Oscar Wilde: “It is clear that humour is far more superior than humor.” (Curses! -- ed.) Two Englishman are rehearsing “You say tomato, I say tomato.” They pause, and one asks, “What’s funny about that?” This deal features seriously good play by Tony Priday, who was one of England’s best-ever players. East’s opening showed a weak two-bid in either major. South’s double promised a good hand, and North’s three-spade cue-bid indicated a maximum pass. Against four hearts, West led the spade jack. South looked destined to lose two tricks in each major, but ... he carefully covered with dummy’s spade queen. Otherwise, three rounds of spades, with West pitching a minor-suit card, would have defeated the contract. East won with the spade king, cashed the spade ace and shifted to a club to declarer’s ace. Priday cashed the club king, then led the heart jack: queen, king, spade three. Declarer took three diamond tricks ending in the dummy and ruffed a club in hand. It was trick 10. Dummy had the A-5-4 of hearts and club nine, West held the 9-8-7-3 of hearts, and South retained the 10-6 of hearts, spade nine and diamond jack. Declarer led his spade, West ruffed with the heart seven, and dummy’s club was discarded. West couldn’t take another trick.