The Saint Paul globe., 1902-03-20
The Cost G)ord.

ly l needed just one word, verb, for
the logical completion Of the paragraph.
and then it was 1 shouldered my gun
and started out on still hunt for that
lost verb. l dived into my brain and beat
about in it until it was sore from the agi-
tation. 1 ransacked books, encyclopedias
and dictionaries. L pressed friends into
service, and even felt inclined to ad-
vertise in the newspapers. Happy ideal
I would advertise for it. I remembered
I once recovered a pug deg that way, and
likewise a faded daguerreOtype Of my
grandmOther's half-aunt. Yes. I would
advertise, and accordingly I did, as per
the following, which appeared in the
newspapers on Feb. Il:
"LOST-A word, a verb. concentrating
in its meaning the expression of a des-
perate determination TO accomplish the
apparently hopeless; liberal reward IL
restored unimpaired and ready for use;
all communications strictly confidential.
Address BOX --
received numerous replies; some witty,
some witless, some wise and some other
wise / was indeed extremely surprised
to discover how many people had suffered
likewise, and who approaching my vex-
alton, cheerfully forwarded their sympa-
thies per mail.
But nevertheless my word was not
forthcoming. l even entered into a min
utely particular correspondence with
some Of the respondents, explaining pre-
cisely the style Of word / wanted, but
none Of them could deliver the goods.
That aggravating word was just as
elusive as ever, lowering about me in a
nebulOus uncertainty; tantaliZing, teas
ing. half-revealing, palpable, almost tan
gible, almost graspable; in Yain-heeting
-heeing-hOwn.
/ wandered about-a ghost. / could
not sleep, could not rest, and an old
chum Of mine, meeting me on the street,
and commiserating my appearance, said:
Look here, Billie, this won't do; come
in and have one with me-"
/ did not understand his reference, but
/ followed him-intO an impressively,
brazenly, glaringly decorated habitat. l
looked musingly around, but had little
hope Of finding my word there. The to-
bacco smoke palled in thick stratums
and substratums of Enthusiastically curling
clouds. The sound waves of the ribald
jest and oath agitated the stagnant at
| mosphere, and through the haze of this
bestial dissipation 1 heard the voice of
my friend asking:
''What'll you have, Billie?"
"A word" I replied, absently
The courtly, portly gentleman who Of
| ficiated behind the highly polished throne
I Oh alconoI1c Indulgence gaSped, and won
deringly asked:
Is it a mixed drink ?"
No" I replied, still half sently
Straight"
with a little water" added my friend
| mo, FIRE.! I exclaimed, Indignantly
| The courtly, portly gentleman inven-
| toried me for second, then leaning over
| confidentially, he hoarsely whispered:
"Where'd you get it? Loonatick?"
| Author, great author. (My friend, in
| his desire to impress the G. p. gentleman
transgressed the bounds of fact consid-
erably.) All authors that way; this one.
in trouble; he lost a word, and is looking
for it."
Lost a word! Well, I'll"
We did not linger in the sulphuric at
mosphere of the c. P. gentleman's com
| ments
Matters did not mend, and one night
in sheer exhaustion, / fell asleep ant
found the word in a dream; but OH tn
| bitterness of it; twas impossible for m
to recall it the next morning.
My sister, who is a good Baptist
thought I was in a bad way, and afte
much effort succeeded, to my subsequen
astonishment, in persuading me to al
tend a religious revival then in progres
at her church. All through the reviva
services was thinking Of that lost word
There had been times when 1 had eXpe
| rienced the relief of cessation from IN