Project Gutenberg's The Twilight Years, by Kirk Drussai and Garen Drussai

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and
most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions
whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms
of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at
www.gutenberg.org.  If you are not located in the United States, you'll
have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using
this ebook.



Title: The Twilight Years

Author: Kirk Drussai
        Garen Drussai

Release Date: April 16, 2019 [EBook #59289]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TWILIGHT YEARS ***




Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net









                          THE TWILIGHT YEARS

                       BY KIRK AND GAREN DRUSSAI

               _It was a new era--an era of practicality
              and cruelty, an era for youth.... An era of
            alarm, too, for people who were over sixty...._

           [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
               Worlds of If Science Fiction, June 1955.
         Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
         the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]


Sydney Mercer stopped his pacing and listened; his head tilted
expectantly. When he heard the elevator stop, he went with quick,
awkward steps to the apartment door and opened it just a crack. "This
time," he sighed with relief, "It's Eleanor." He opened the door for
her.

His wife breezed down the hall and through the open door. She dumped
her armful of packages beside her on the couch as she kicked off her
shoes. "Whew! What a relief!"

Closing the door carefully, Sydney hurried over to her. "Ellie--I've
been worried. You didn't tell me you were going to be so late. And when
you didn't call--"

"Nonsense," she said gaily. "It's only 6:15. Why, the stores are just
now starting to board up. And you know the "A Cars" don't start running
till seven." She smiled at him. "Would you get my slippers, honey?"

He hesitated for a moment, and then shuffled into the bedroom. Eleanor
stood in front of the couch flexing her tired toes. She had a small and
rather dumpy figure without her high heels. And though her fashionably
dressed body was usually molded into the latest silhouette, now in
her more relaxed state she frankly looked her sixty-one years.

Sydney came back with her slippers, and bent to put them on. "Thanks,
dear, shopping just kills my feet. But, enough of this," she sighed,
"I've got only a few minutes to get dinner ready before 'Manhunt' comes
on." And she started for the kitchen.

He followed and caught her heavily by the shoulders, his face stern.
"Listen, Ellie--I don't _ever_ want you to come home so late that you
have to take an armored car." He shook her to emphasize his statement.

"But why?" she asked with genuine wonder. "They're safe enough. Edith
and Ruth often take 'A' cars, and nothing's ever happened to them."

He let her go reluctantly. "Ellie," he said gently, "I just want to be
sure that nothing happens to you, that's all. We're at such a dangerous
age now, with both of us over sixty. You're all I've got. I'd be so all
alone without you."

She thrust out her ample chest indignantly. "Sydney, the trouble with
you is that you're still living in the past. You've got to keep up
with the times. Sure, things are different now, than they were, say,
ten years ago. But what of it? If life is more dangerous now, it's
certainly more thrilling--and more intense, too!"

He eyed her steadily. "What's so thrilling about being sixty plus?"

"You've just got to accept," she continued glibly, as though it had
been memorized, "the fact that it's a young people's world, now. Live
for the day! That should be our motto." She smiled placidly at him.
"That's the way I've been living this past year. As though each day was
completely separate from the one before it--and the one after. In a
young people's world--what else is there to do?"

Eleanor patted her husband's cheek, and then looked past him into the
living room, a shocked expression on her face. "Why Syd, have you been
sitting here all alone without the T.V. on? Goodness, that's enough to
make anyone start thinking! You march right in there and turn it on."

He turned, with a slight shrug, to comply, and Eleanor started to fix
dinner. The T.V. screen was in full view of the kitchen cubicle, of
course. Apartments had been designed that way for years now. So, she
was able to open the few cans and containers that constituted dinner,
with her eyes almost entirely on the T.V.

Sydney gave it a glance or two as he set the table. But he was too
preoccupied with his thoughts to enjoy the programs as much as he
usually tried to. He wondered why this day to day living didn't seem to
be as much fun to him as it did to others. He fingered the "Sixty-Plus"
insignia sewn onto his shirt sleeve. To him, it had turned out to be
merely a matter of waiting.

Eleanor was fixing a salad, with hardly a glance at what she was doing,
so automatically did her fingers accomplish their task. He looked at
her, cheerfully doing what the times and fashion decreed, and wished
he could accept things the way she did. He was very fond of her. Now
that he had been retired, they should have had time to enjoy each
other. But something was wrong. Most people tried to have fun while
they were waiting. Their closest friends, Eddie and Jean, seemed to
be enjoying their retirement period. Or were they really, he asked
himself, remembering a few times in past conversations when the talk
had verged momentarily in that direction, only to break off guiltily.

They sat down to eat at the table in front of the screen, sitting side
by side, of course, so they wouldn't miss any of the programs during
dinner.

Part way through the meal the phone rang. Sydney quickly got up to
answer it. He knew Eleanor hated to be disturbed during a T.V. program.

"Hello, Jean," he said pleasantly, recognizing her voice at once.
"What's the matter? You sound so--" His lips remained open,
unexpectedly. Then, he put his hand over the mouthpiece of the phone.

"Ellie!" he called so sharply that she turned at once.

"What is it?" she snapped back at him between mouthfuls.

"It's Jean. She says Eddie's gone out for 'fair game'!" His voice faded
to a whisper. "Good God, Ellie. I don't know what to say to her!"

Eleanor dropped her fork to the plate with an air of disgust rising to
the surface. "Oh, that woman! She always did let Eddie worry her." She
smiled benignly. "Tell her we're sorry to hear it, of course. But he
had only a year to go anyway."

"But she wants to know what to do!" He looked at her pleadingly. "She's
acting hysterical. If she decides to go out herself--"

Eleanor got up and took the phone from his shaky hand. He sat down on
the couch, only distantly hearing snatches of what Eleanor was saying
to Jean, picturing Eddie walking down the deserted streets. Probably
right out in the middle, where anyone could see him.

"No--you stay right where you are--no point in both of you.... Yes,
that's right. I've always known you had more pride than he did....
Sure, we'll be over to see you--no, not tonight!... Of course not; wait
until morning--remember, I'm counting on you, Jean."

Eleanor finally hung up and, going back to the table, finished spearing
the bit of salad she had been working on.

Sydney looked at her, unbelievingly. "Ellie, how can you go right back
to eating after what's happened to Eddie?"

Her eyes remained on the screen. "Why should I feel sorry for him, if
he didn't have the guts to wait? I just feel sorry for Jean. The shame
of it! If it had happened some other way, it would have been different.
And Jean hasn't even got enough sense to realize it isn't 'fair game'
for Eddie. It's just plain suicide!" Eleanor glanced at her husband
sharply. "What on earth's got into you tonight, Syd! You're jumpier
than I've ever seen you."

He concentrated, a puzzled look on his face. "I don't know. I never
thought much about it until today. And with Eddie. Everything falls
into place suddenly, it all seems so wrong, so useless." He looked at
her intently as she pushed her empty plate away and lit a cigarette.
"Ellie, doesn't it strike you as strange--almost unbelievable--that
we accept the concept of longevity as a subversive one? Doesn't it
seem--well, weird--that we sixty plus-ers sit around every night--just
waiting?"

Eleanor turned innocuous grey eyes to him. "Oh, Sydney, you're talking
like a silly pup. Let's pay attention to the show."

"Some people kill themselves." He muttered, almost savoring the words.

"Oh bosh, don't say such things!" Her voice was tight and angry.
"Sydney, you wouldn't shame me like that, would you; not like that
weak-kneed Eddie?"

"Why not?" he retorted. He was beginning to feel ashamed of arguing
with Eleanor but he couldn't stop. "Since my retirement, since I became
a sixty plus-er, I've just been sitting around doing nothing. I feel
like a stupid animal being kept in a pen." He buried his face in his
hands and sobbed.

She stroked his head lovingly but nevertheless condescendingly.
"Sydney, there's so much you could be doing, now that you have time for
it."

He raised his head tiredly. "It's too late for that. But--what have I
missed? Have you got an answer?"

"Well," she looked slightly disconcerted. "What all the others do.
They play golf, and sunbathe, and go to lectures and shows, and uh--"
Her ingenuity gave out. She stole a glance at the T.V. screen. "You've
got to relax, honey, stop all this thinking. You know, 'eat, drink, and
be merry' sort of--"

He noticed that her attention had wandered. He knew why. That cold
chill in the pit of his stomach had told him that it was almost time.

"Do we have to watch it, tonight?" Sydney asked her almost bitterly.
"How can you really sit there and enjoy seeing all that violence and--"

She leaned back comfortably, watching the screen. "What else are the
boys to do? The psychiatrists say, that since the war is over, our
boys need to drain off their energies somehow. Besides, sometimes it's
really merciful." She folded her arms over her stomach, as though to
dismiss the subject.

    _The screen had darkened. There were two young men, dim and strange
    looking, with masks over the lower part of their faces. And they
    were making plans--in a small, darkened room. Then, silently, they
    left the room, and crept through the somber streets. The camera
    followed them faithfully as they slipped cautiously from shadow
    to shadow._

Sydney found himself watching the screen now, too. It compelled him
against his will. "I went through a war," he hissed, clenching his
fists tightly. "The Korean War--when I was young. And when it was over
I went back to work in an office. I didn't need any violence drained
out of me!"

"Sshhh," Eleanor insisted, and then relented. "I keep telling you, Syd,
these boys went through a different kind of war than yours. They've had
more taken out of them than you had." She whispered it, her eyes never
leaving the screen, her breath coming in excited gasps. "People have
just outlived their usefulness, now, by the time they are sixty. It's
natural for the young folks to resent us, especially if we are a burden
and there are too many of us. You've got to adjust, Sydney, just adjust
to the times."

    _The two men paused at an intersection--paused for endless
    moments--while millions of people watched, hardly daring to
    breathe. Then slowly and deliberately, with overtly melodramatic
    malice, they turn a corner, and start to run swiftly along the
    street. Of the millions who watched--there were some who felt a
    cold clutching within them._

Sydney leaned forward on the couch, his pale eyes almost bulging with
intentness. The intersection on the screen had been familiar. The
street the cameras were recording--was more so.

Adjust, he thought, I wish it was that easy for me. Adjust to the
times, she says--they all say--thereby excusing everything hideous, and
violent, and disgusting that exists in the present. Nobody objects to
anything. There's nothing constructive for individuals anymore. They
just accept. Adjust to being idle and useless at sixty, whether I like
it or not. Adjust to A Cars, the boarding up of shops every night, not
daring to go out after dark. Get used to violence and fear, sitting in
front of this screen as though it were an object of worship. Endure
"Manhunt" every night; not knowing--just waiting--waiting ... those of
us who live to sixty-five.

Eleanor cleared her throat and then whispered huskily. "They've been
up the same street before." She turned to him, her eyes watery with
agitation pushed almost to its limit.

He couldn't help it. All his resentment was momentarily stilled by his
affection for her. He smiled. "Sure, Ellie. Many times." Involuntarily,
he put his arm around her shoulder and squeezed.


    _Without warning, the two men stopped in front of an apartment
    house. They glanced quickly around, and then slipped into the
    building, the camera close upon them._

Sydney took his wife's hand. "Why they've even been in the very same
building before." His face felt cold and damp. He added resolutely,
"It's a big apartment house, Ellie, a real big one."

Suddenly he found himself listening--listening--hardly breathing. It
seemed as though sound didn't exist anymore. There was just silence,
grotesque and unnatural.

Then he heard it. First there was a stealthy shuffling sound coming
a long ways down the hall. Then the slight regular noise of a wheeled
object, following.

Sydney saw that she had not heard. Her eyes were desperately fixed on
the screen. It could be, he thought chaotically, it could be the Masons
across the hall. They're almost sixty-five.

Then the door knob turned, and the door swung silently open. Stiffly,
Sydney turned his head to the door. There was time, they saw to that.
There was time to see the two masked men with guns in their hands.
And behind them was the T.V. camera, registering the scene that was
duplicated on his own screen. There was even time to turn to Ellie;
to see the look of cheated disappointment in her eyes change to
astonishment as the bullet cut cleanly into her open mouth. And then
there was no more time for Sydney Mercer either, who had reached the
age of sixty plus and therefore was past his usefulness. Another bullet
stopped his intake of breath.

    _The camera moved in for a close up of the two men; their lips,
    beneath the masks, smiling and guileless. Then the camera hovered
    for a few moments over the ludicrously postured bodies on the couch
    for a fade out._

"Manhunt" was over for the night. The announcer's voice and figure
gradually took over the expanse of the screen.

"Tonight's program has been sponsored, as a Public Service," the oily
voice intoned, "by the National Casket Company, with offices in all
principal cities.

"Remember your duty as a citizen.

"All you oldsters, between the ages of "sixty and Annihilation
Day"--you may be among the ones who don't have to wait until your
sixty-fifth birthday--and you others who are nearing the twilight
years--be sure you have your burial arrangements taken care of. Do it
tonight--at the very latest, tomorrow. For the next day may be too late.

"The management, the staff, and the actors want to extend their
respects to the wonderful old couple who played _their_ parts in
tonight's real life drama.

"Goodnight all!"





End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Twilight Years, by 
Kirk Drussai and Garen Drussai

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TWILIGHT YEARS ***

***** This file should be named 59289.txt or 59289.zip *****
This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
        http://www.gutenberg.org/5/9/2/8/59289/

Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net


Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will
be renamed.

Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright
law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works,
so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United
States without permission and without paying copyright
royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part
of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm
concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark,
and may not be used if you charge for the eBooks, unless you receive
specific permission. If you do not charge anything for copies of this
eBook, complying with the rules is very easy. You may use this eBook
for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports,
performances and research. They may be modified and printed and given
away--you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks
not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the
trademark license, especially commercial redistribution.

START: FULL LICENSE

THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE
PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK

To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free
distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work
(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project
Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full
Project Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at
www.gutenberg.org/license.

Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic works

1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to
and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property
(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all
the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or
destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your
possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a
Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound
by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the
person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph
1.E.8.

1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be
used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who
agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few
things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works
even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See
paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this
agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below.

1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the
Foundation" or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection
of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual
works in the collection are in the public domain in the United
States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the
United States and you are located in the United States, we do not
claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing,
displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as
all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope
that you will support the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting
free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm
works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the
Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with the work. You can easily
comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the
same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg-tm License when
you share it without charge with others.

1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern
what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are
in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States,
check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this
agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing,
distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any
other Project Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no
representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any
country outside the United States.

1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:

1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other
immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear
prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work
on which the phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the
phrase "Project Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed,
performed, viewed, copied or distributed:

  This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and
  most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no
  restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it
  under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this
  eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the
  United States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you
  are located before using this ebook.

1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is
derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not
contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the
copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in
the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are
redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase "Project
Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply
either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or
obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg-tm
trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.

1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted
with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution
must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any
additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms
will be linked to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works
posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the
beginning of this work.

1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm
License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this
work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm.

1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this
electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without
prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with
active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project
Gutenberg-tm License.

1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary,
compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including
any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access
to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format
other than "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official
version posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site
(www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense
to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means
of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original "Plain
Vanilla ASCII" or other form. Any alternate format must include the
full Project Gutenberg-tm License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1.

1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying,
performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works
unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.

1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing
access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works
provided that

* You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from
  the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method
  you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed
  to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he has
  agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project
  Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid
  within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are
  legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty
  payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project
  Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in
  Section 4, "Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg
  Literary Archive Foundation."

* You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies
  you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he
  does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm
  License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all
  copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue
  all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg-tm
  works.

* You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of
  any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the
  electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of
  receipt of the work.

* You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free
  distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works.

1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic work or group of works on different terms than
are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing
from both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and The
Project Gutenberg Trademark LLC, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm
trademark. Contact the Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below.

1.F.

1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable
effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread
works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project
Gutenberg-tm collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may
contain "Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate
or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other
intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or
other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or
cannot be read by your equipment.

1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right
of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project
Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all
liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal
fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT
LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE
PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE
TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE
LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR
INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
DAMAGE.

1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a
defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can
receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a
written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you
received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium
with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you
with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in
lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person
or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second
opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If
the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing
without further opportunities to fix the problem.

1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth
in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO
OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT
LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.

1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied
warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of
damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement
violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the
agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or
limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or
unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the
remaining provisions.

1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the
trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone
providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in
accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the
production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses,
including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of
the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this
or any Project Gutenberg-tm work, (b) alteration, modification, or
additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any
Defect you cause.

Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm

Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of
electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of
computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It
exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations
from people in all walks of life.

Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the
assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's
goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will
remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure
and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future
generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary
Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see
Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at
www.gutenberg.org Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation

The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit
501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the
state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal
Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification
number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary
Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by
U.S. federal laws and your state's laws.

The Foundation's principal office is in Fairbanks, Alaska, with the
mailing address: PO Box 750175, Fairbanks, AK 99775, but its
volunteers and employees are scattered throughout numerous
locations. Its business office is located at 809 North 1500 West, Salt
Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up to
date contact information can be found at the Foundation's web site and
official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact

For additional contact information:

    Dr. Gregory B. Newby
    Chief Executive and Director
    gbnewby@pglaf.org

Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation

Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide
spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of
increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be
freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest
array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations
($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt
status with the IRS.

The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating
charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United
States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a
considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up
with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations
where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND
DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular
state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate

While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we
have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition
against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who
approach us with offers to donate.

International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make
any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from
outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.

Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation
methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other
ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To
donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate

Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works.

Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project
Gutenberg-tm concept of a library of electronic works that could be
freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and
distributed Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of
volunteer support.

Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed
editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in
the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not
necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper
edition.

Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search
facility: www.gutenberg.org

This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm,
including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary
Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to
subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.