“LUCK OF INDIA”

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 12, 27 October 1948, Page 5

“LUCK OF INDIA”

Chain Letter Craze Again' The luck of India has been sent to us, or, to be more accurate, to our Editor. But get this —if he breaks the chain he will have bad luck. Yes sir, it’s the old chain letter craze again. It wasn’t so much the promise of good luck within four days if he carried on the chain that thrilled Mr Stevens when he opened his mail yesterday. It was the cheering knowledge that he had been included amongst five people to whom somebody at Ruatoki wished good fortune.

That, he reflected, was a worth'while achievement for any newspaper editor’. One gets so used to the bricks in this business that the old bouquet glows with a magnified glory,. and any spontaneous gesture of goodwill makes one want to wag' the tail and gambol like a petted pup. Still, we don’t know about sending on this chain letter. The promise of good fortune if We do is enticing, but the threat of bad luck if we don’t appeals to the editor’s natural cussedness as a challenge. Not to be bullied or intimidated is one of the first rules of the journalist, and a threat—any sort of a threat—just naturally stirs up the desire to kick. Still, this good fortune business is a temptation. Some bird with an improbable name won £24,000. But the poor, blighter lost it again—just because he broke the chain. Makes one tremble a bit, doesn’t it? Makes the palm itch somewhat, also. Also there was the other chap with an even more improbable name—Gruih Touther. He won £3,000. ' Leastways, the letter says so, and it must be authentic. Doesn’t the last .sentence say “This is no joke”? The fact that the lad who sent it omitted to sign it should not detract from its authenticity. Or should it? One point the letter makes with force. It must leave the recipient within 24 hours of the time he received it; It has. And we had the waste paper basket emptied just to make sure.