The sun., 1892-12-14
The Missing Word Crn,e.

The magnitude Of the missing worI' .-,..
which is Grievously affecting all England a,l
the remotest parts OF the British isles. and
which The SGN has told so,ucthn: pbvu, i,
its London cablcGratns. is astounding !, b,,
devastated the money order branch Of tn,
Government and spread dcsolation through
the whole Post Office service. Ths memory Of
tho spelling heo fantasy has faded AWAY in
comparison. The visible results OF tho cruzs
have been such that it has become a r,ibli,
nuisance. and the Public Prosecutor i, en-.
gagged in an effort to suppress it.
The missin: word craze. game. or wl,at.y,r
it may be called. is this: A srntcnr is rrjn,sd
every week from which the last word i,
omitted. as "Bill Smith is II -" amt
the public Is invitcdtO write upun counon
printed in the paper what thoyt ythink tho miss.
ing word is. and to send in their guess with
money order for n shilling Tho aggregate
shillinSs sent in are divided among tho
guessers who strike tho correct word 1t
was invented by the PROPRIETOR of nom
descript publication which is but two years
old. Tho idea has sent up the circulation Of
tho paper to over half n million a week.
2OO.OOO copies week being credited to the
missing word idea in the past two months.
Other publications. adopted the device. and .
month ago the craze swept over the unhappy
4
first mentioned received and distributed over
$50 900 received in shllinGs for guesses. ono
week there Were Dut iorty-three correct
guesses: and each OF the lucky ,ruessers 70.
estimated week aso tha, some Si3o.0vO in
shillngs was seut to the various papers run
ming the scheme. The money orders at mauy
Post Offices have all been used M. the reserve
supply is low. the mails arc clogced. and the
end is yet a'ar oil. Cubs and syndicates are
formed. pooling ..uesses and prizes soms
"A
and shillin.s. 1h" craZe has invaded the
church tnls. the clubs and even tho Ex-
changes and business houses.
The business has added u new department.
emplovin. over 200 people. 10 tho pnl'cr which
filling the space 2f doorway is the letter box;
\ stream OF bundles OF letters ponrs into it all
d"s Pns nHd o" TIE as s 'h sst s
procession "f cabs \ hundred and iIfty girls
are cmrloycd i'll the, sorting room Of the paper.
They arc all provided hy tho Young ,W"men,,s
Christian Association. and iecei i've the excel
lent pas # 30 shiItincs 4 week Livery day.
from y to:5. these grls do nothing but open
letters ana -"r, out money orders and guosses.
The guess cour"ns Z" to another room. and
here a dozen young women are ,lpins amost
remurhIti" thing. lnch on" il intrusted for
tho secret OF the missing word" and they arc
engaged Ia the stupendou+ task OF keeping a
secret. They 20 through the piles of g,lrsses
and winnow out the correct gnesses., This IL
somewhat monotonous work when there are
but forty correct .ucSses out Of oUO.WW In
yet another room eight clerks are employed
sorting and counting money orders and ar
ranging them Tor presentation at the Post
Office to DO cashed. One Of the girls has a rec
ord OF correctly tabllatin. $4,000 orders in An
hour. SoWc S.T.OtuJ in money orders go
through this mill every week. and halt doaDn
clerks are employed in signing" them with
rubber stamps.
The proprietor Of tina IA per writes the sem
tencc. nd he alone knows tho word until tho
competition is "oso'. He writes il on pa
per. which. cnclOS,d d in n sealed envelope is
placed IN charge Of II ruhli,. notary until the
competition is closed. Lots Of Ulcer attempts
are mad" 10 learn he word from him. Sors
have wanted tu know how much week he
would want tor disclosing the word. Many
ptiful aun"di- reach h!m from people in sore
straits. who want to incw tho word as means
OF escape from lhrlr peruniary troubles.
The PubIi' Prosecutor has secured Il sum
mons g,'nst the rroprie,ors OF one parer us-
ing the de- ic". and the case is to come NJ for
trial this week, lie claims that il j. u gam
finding the missing word, Bill Smith might be
in hitting IT," word which tells what the pro-
urictor % the paper thinks hn is. III" rr"rri.
eior Of the laper leading in the movement
saws hs has III. opinions Of two most dis'ln-
Euisheu counsel that the .rhorc j. not Il lot
tory nor n gambling device" N"anwhle the
crn2e j. slowly ratin. NJ h."ner.:y and lite ot
the People. aud what ia" end will !" y" man
can prlphe~v. To: ih" san" "' this Iaii"ns
PROSPERITY and sanity. h"N"N"r -on"thins
should ir don" l." prevent lfs hIiEhflhg IN
these shores and. If br I"rhlns, "annol ""re
with it. n kindly Providence nI-ht h't'n.'y 10
u n cd