John Treco recently donated a copy of the book, Dialogue For Schools authored by Increase Cook and published in 1813. The title page indicates the book is a sequel to the American Orator – however that book by Lewis Munn may have been published much later (there is a 4th edition published in 1855). The most unusual feature of this specific copy is the “missing words” on various pages of the book. Thirteen pages have words missing that appear to have been carefully cut from the text. Who did the cutting, why, and the aggregate meaning of the missing words is unknown. The missing words may have been used to form a code or book of code words, or simply cutout and pasted to send a message to some unknown recipient. Alas, if only books could talk… A picture of one of the pages with missing words is included here.
Originally posted in July 2012.
