However, "influential" is a good word and usual in obituaries, so Bethuel let it stand.

He continued: "Captain Hall's sudden death--" Erasure of "death" and substitution of "demise." Then: "-- Was a shock to the community at large.

It happened on account of--" More erasures and substitutions.

"-- It was the result of his taking cold owing to exposure during the heavy southeast rains of week before last which developed into pneumonia.

He grew rapidly worse and passed away at 3.06 P.M.on Tuesday, leaving a vacancy in our midst which will be hard to fill, if at all.