E-text prepared by Stephen Hutcheson
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The cover image was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.
GADSBY
GADSBY
(A Story of Over 50,000 Words)
(Without Using the Letter "E")
By
ERNEST VINCENT WRIGHT
Wetzel Publishing Co., Inc.
: Los Angeles, California :
COPYRIGHT 1939
BY
WETZEL PUBLISHING CO., INC.
ERNEST VINCENT WRIGHT
INTRODUCTION
The entire manuscript of this story was written with the E type-bar ofthe typewriter tied down; thus making it impossible for that letterto be printed. This was done so that none of that vowel might slip in,accidentally; and many did try to do so!
There is a great deal of information as to what Youth can do, ifgiven a chance; and, though it starts out in somewhat of an impersonalvein, there is plenty of thrill, rollicking comedy, love, courtship,marriage, patriotism, sudden tragedy, a determined stand againstliquor, and some amusing political aspirations in a small growing town.
In writing such a story,—purposely avoiding all words containingthe vowel E, there are a great many difficulties. The greatest ofthese is met in the past tense of verbs, almost all of which endwith "—ed." Therefore substitutes must be found; and they are veryfew. This will cause, at times, a somewhat monotonous use of suchwords as "said;" for neither "replied," "answered" nor "asked" canbe used. Another difficulty comes with the elimination of the commoncouplet "of course," and its very common connective, "consequently;"which will, unavoidably cause "bumpy spots." The numerals also causeplenty of trouble, for none between six and thirty are available. Whenintroducing young ladies into the story, this is a real barrier; forwhat young woman wants to have it known that she is over thirty? Andthis restriction on numbers, of course taboos all mention of dates.
Many abbreviations also must be avoided; the most common of all, "Mr."and "Mrs." being particularly troublesome; for those words, if readaloud, plainly indicate the E in their orthography.
As the vowel E is used more than five times oftener than any otherletter, this story was written, not through any attempt to attainliterary merit, but due to a somewhat balky nature, caused by hearingit so constantly claimed that "it can't be done; for you cannot sayanything at all without using