The Alcoholics Read Free Page A

magazine? Pure viciousness! Couldn't have got any real money from that outfit…" Somewhere, somehow, in his almost fifty years of military service, a small error had been made in the General's papers. It was so small and so obviously an error, a matter of a t struck over a p to form the anomalous abbreviation term. , that it had been dismissed by everyone, the General included. But, now, when something had to be done with him but nothing to him, the error provided a way out.
    The error had occurred in the chronicling of his promotion from captain to major; thus, it affected the higher rank and all other ranks up to his present one. A little confusing? Well, it was a rather confused matter. Briefly, however, it boiled down to this. The term , in the papers was-by unanimous agreement-interpreted to mean temp . His rank was temporary in other words; all his ranks had been temporary down to the grade of captain.
    Being by age subject to retirement, he was retired without prejudice and with utter propriety at his last permanent rank-upon three- quarters of a captain's monthly stipend. So the case was adjusted, honorably and even with kindness. For, as a person high in authority had pointed out, the beggar managed to stay stiff enough as it was. With more money, he would simply drink himself to death… This morning, the morning of the day annaled and mayhap analyzed here, he sat on the flagstoned patio of the sanitarium, his steamer chair drawn up close to the sea-side guard rail so that he might better watch Doc's progress up the cliff from the beach. To some, the fact that the doctor chose to scramble perilously and laboriously up the rocks instead of ascending the stairs might have seemed idiotic. But the General did not so regard it. There was very little if anything that Doctor Murphy could do which, in the General's varicosed, broken- celled mind, would be open to criticism. "A very fine man," the General murmured. "Must remember to-to-to- A very fine man." Doctor Murphy swung over the guard rail, rested a moment, then moved across the patio, mopping his bony face with a thin wiry arm. He stooped down in front of the General, gently replacing the house slippers on the chilled bare feet. Then, dragging up a hassock to sit on, he grinned shrewdly but respectfully into the old man's face.
    "Short night, eh, General?"
    "What?" The General blinked, uncertainly. "Oh, no. No, I slept very well, Doctor."
    "Good!" said Doctor Murphy. "You're convinced, then? You've decided I was right about that letter."
    "Well, uh…" The General fumbled in the pocket of his bathrobe. "I was going to ask… I wonder if you'd mind…"
    Doctor Murphy extricated the letter from the robe, and carefully unfolded it. "There you are," he said, "right down in black and white. ' We have enjoyed reading your manuscript, and thank you for allowing us to consider it .' Isn't that what it says? Isn't that what it means? How in the world can you make anything else out of it?"
    "Uh… you think that isn't a mere formality? That they're only being polite?"
    "Ha!" said Doctor Murphy.
    "Not their way, eh?" said the General hopefully. "Pretty curt lot on the whole?"
    The doctor nodded vigorously. "Any time those people say they enjoy something, they mean it!"
    "But-uh-they didn't take it…?"
    "They were unable to. They enjoyed it and they appreciated your sending it to 'em, but-well, you can read it for yourself. ' We are unable to use it at the present time .' At the present , understand? Let 'em wait a while, General. Just hang on to the manuscript; well, perhaps you'd better give it a good working-over, put in those anecdotes you were telling me. Then, send it to 'em and see how fast they snap it up, by golly!"
    The General retrieved the letter, and tucked it carefully into his pocket. "I'll do it, Doctor! By George, I'll…" His voice faded, and the faint glow in his eyes dimmed. He would do it, but-.
    He coughed nervously, nodding to the serving table at the