The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Rubáiyát of a Bachelor, by Helen Rowland This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere 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 Title: The Rubáiyát of a Bachelor Author: Helen Rowland Illustrator: Harold Speakman Release Date: March 2, 2010 [EBook #31467] Language: English *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE RUBÁIYÁT OF A BACHELOR *** Produced by Emmy, Tor Martin Kristiansen and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) THE·RUBÁIYÁT OF·A·BACHELOR [Illustration] [Illustration: PROMISED TO PAY A WOMAN'S BILLS FOR LIFE.] THE·RUBÁIYÁT OF·A·BACHELOR [Illustration] BY HELEN ROWLAND DECORATIONS ···· BY ···· HAROLD ···· SPEAKMAN DODGE PUBLISHING COMPANY NEW YORK COPYRIGHT 1915 BY DODGE PUBLISHING COMPANY TO MY HUSBAND WILLIAM HILL-BRERETON THIS LITTLE BOOK IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED WAKE! For the Spring has scattered into flight The Vows of Lent, and bids the heart be light. Bring on the Roast, and take the Fish away! The Season calls--and Woman's eyes are bright! BEFORE the phantom of Pale Winter died, Methought the Voice of Spring within me cried, "When Hymen's rose-decked altars glow within, Why nods the laggard _Bachelor_ outside?" AND, at the Signal, I who stood before In idle musing, shouted, "Say no more! You know how little while we have to Love-- And Love's light Hand is knocking at the door!" NOW, the New Moon reviving old desires, The gallant Youth to Sentiment aspires; And ere he saunters forth on conquest bent, Himself, like unto Solomon, attires. [Illustration: HIS WINTER GARMENTS HUNG--WHERE, NO ONE KNOWS!] HOW blithely through the smiling throng he goes, His Winter garments hung--where, no one knows! A Symphony in radiant scarfs and hose, Wrought t'inspire a maiden's "Ah's!" and "Oh's!" INTO a new Flirtation, why not knowing, Nor whence, his heart with madness overflowing; Then out of it--and thence, without a pause, Into _another_, willy-nilly blowing. WHAT if the conscience feel, perchance, a sting? No danger waits him--save the _Wedding Ring_. A Kiss is not the sin that yesterday It was--for that was _Lent_, and this is _Spring_! SOME simple ones may sigh for wealth or fame, And some, for the sweet Domestic Life, and tame; But ah! give me a supper, a cigar, A charming Woman--and the old Love-Game! SOME blue points on the half-shell, in a row, Some iced champagne, a melting bird--and Thou Beside me flirting, 'neath a picture hat-- Oh, single life were Paradise enow! A COZY-CORNER tête-a-tête--what bliss! A murmured word, a sigh, a stolen kiss-- Ah, tell me, does the Promised Paradise Hold anything one-half so sweet as this? AND yet, since I am made of common clay, One charm I'd add to this divine array; Lord make me _careful_, and whate'er betide, Without proposing, let me slip away! FOR, some I've known, the bravest and the best, Who laughed at Love, as but an idle jest, Have, one by one, walked straight into the Net, Helpless, before the _Cozy Corner_ test! THUS, oft, beside some damsel fond and fair, I've sat, thrilled by the perfume of her hair, And madly longed to murmur, lip-to-lip, "Beloved, marry me!"--but did not dare! FOR some I've wooed, when I felt blithe and gay, Have looked _so different_, when we met next day, That I have simply stopped to say, "So charmed!" And shuddering, sped hurriedly away! LOOK to the Married Men! Alas, their gains Are neither here nor there, for all their pains. For wedding bells are rung--and loudly rung To drown the clanking of the _Marriage Chains_! A MOMENT'S halt--a little word or two-- And you have done what you can ne'er undo; Promised to pay a Woman's bills for life-- _Anchored_ yourself--and there's an end of you! AND we, who now make merry at the gloom Of those who thus have gone to meet their doom-- May we, ourselves, not some day follow suit, Ourselves to be the Butt of jests--for whom? INDEED, 'tis better to have loved and lost-- Taken the Kiss and fled, at any cost, Than to have loved and married, and for aye, Thereafter, by a _Woman_, to be bossed. WITH me, along that strip of Broadway strewn With lovely maids, each radiant afternoon, And think, of all the thousands you behold, That you can marry one--and _only one_! BUT, if the lip I kiss, the hand I press, Upon the morrow seem to charm me less, Ah well, am I not still a _Bachelor_, And thus, entitled to--another Guess? [Illustration: SOME FOR THE COMFORTS OF A CLUB MAY SIGH.] SOME for the comforts of a club may sigh, And some for a hermit's lonely life. Not I! Give me a cozy hearthside, and a Girl Always "at home" when _I_ chance by! HER cushioned chair a spot where I may curl My weary form, and rest, beyond the whirl Of madd'ning cares; to rise at half-past ten, And call next night--upon _another girl_! WHY, if a man can thus, at ease, abide Each evening by a different damsel's side, Were't not a shame--were't not a shame, for him To any _one_, forever to be tied? AND so, the girls I've set my heart upon, I've flattered, wooed a little--and anon, Just as they thought to slip the fatal Noose About my neck, behold--the Bird had flown! FOR this the argument that I submit-- Refute it, if you can, with all your wit! That Luck in Love, for such as you and I, Consists in safely keeping _out_ of it! * * * * * THIS morn, I've quaffed at least a quart or more Of water--yet am thirsty as before; And that dark taste still lingers in the mouth With which, last night, I reformation swore. [Illustration: SOME ANGEL, WITH A SAVING DRINK.] YET, when some Angel, with a saving drink Of iced Nepenthe comes, I shall not shrink; But, having drunk of it, shall feel again As good and noble as before, I think. EACH morn some fresh repentance brings, you say? Yes--but where leaves the vows of Yesterday? For I shall make and break them all, again, When Time hath taken _this_ Headache away. WHAT if my conscience seem an idle joke-- My good resolves all disappear in smoke? This thought remains--and is it not enough?-- _I do not wear the Matrimonial Yoke!_ NAY! There is no one waiting at the door, Whene'er I wander in at half-past four, No one to question, no one to accuse, No one, my shocking frailty to deplore! NO one to greet me with her tear-stained eyes, No one to doubt my quaint, fantastic lies, No one my foolish looks to criticize-- Ah, but the knots, the KNOTS in marriage-ties! OH Friend, could you and I, somehow, conspire, To grasp the Matrimonial Scheme entire, Would we not shatter it to bits--and then, Make of its bonds a rousing Funeral Pyre? MYSELF, when young, did eagerly frequent The weddings of my friends on Bondage bent; But evermore thanked Fate, when I escaped Scot-free, by that same door wherein I went. INTO the fatal compact, why not knowing, I've seen them go, nor dream where they were going; Then out again, with shouts of "Westward, ho!" The bitter seeds of _Alimony_ sowing! AH well, they say that, sometimes, side by side, A cat and dog may peacefully abide. Perhaps--perhaps. But that is only when That cat and dog are not together tied! OFT, to some patient married man I turn, The secret of his dumb content to learn, But lip-to-ear, he mutters, "Fool, beware! _This_ is the path, whence there is no return!" [Illustration: BUT, LIP-TO-EAR, HE MUTTERS, "FOOL, BEWARE!"] OH, threats of Hell, and hopes of Paradise! One thing is certain--when a Husband dies, No wife shall greet him _there_ with "Where's" or "Why's" Nor mock with laughter his most subtle lies! NO matter whether up or down he goes, He neither cares nor questions, I suppose; Since Death can hold no bitterness for him, Because--because--Oh well, he knows, HE KNOWS! WOULD you the spangle of existence spend In Matrimony? Slow about, my Friend! A maiden's hair is more oft false than true, And on the chemist may her blush depend. A MAIDEN'S hair is more oft false than true! Aye, and her Modiste is, perchance, the clue, Could you but know it, to her sylph-like grace, And, peradventure, to her _Figure_, too. WHY, for this NOTHING, then, should you provoke The gods, or lightly don the galling yoke Of unpermitted pleasure, under pain Of Alimony-until-Death, if broke? WHY, when to-day your bills are promptly paid, Assume the whims of some capricious maid, Incur the debts you never did contract, And yet must settle? Oh, the sorry trade! [Illustration: I SWORE--BUT WAS I SOBER WHEN I SWORE?] TO "settle down and marry," oft of yore, I swore--but was I sober when I swore? And then there came another girl--and I Turned gaily to the old Love-Game, once more. AND, much as I repented things like this, And fondly dreamed of sweet Domestic Bliss, I sometimes wonder what a wife can give, One half so thrilling as a stolen kiss! YET, if the hair should vanish from my brow, My girth, in time, to great dimensions grow-- If youth's sweet-scented "Buds" should pass me by, Accounting me an antiquated beau-- WHY then, some winged angel, ere too late-- Some maiden verging onto twenty-eight-- Will gladly take what's left of me, I trow, And, leading me to wedlock, thank her Fate! * * * * * ALAS, for those who may to-day prepare The wedding trousseau for the morrow's wear, A voice of warning cried, "There's many a slip Betwixt the Altar and the Solitaire!" INTO this pact, man glides like water flowing, But _out_ of it is not such easy going; For they, who once were simple, guileless things, In Breach-of-Promise lore are now more knowing. [Illustration: WHAT! WOULD YOU CAST A LOVING WOMAN HENCE?] WHAT! Would you cast a loving Woman hence? Thou, Fickle One, prepare for penitence! Full many a golden ducat shall you pay To drown the memory of such insolence. AND every note, that, in your cups, you write, In cold black Type, perchance shall see the light; While all the World, across its coffee urn, Shall titter gaily at the sorry sight. AH yes! For all the papers, which discussed Your wedding plans, shall turn your cake to crust, Publish your letters and your photographs, And trail your Egotism in the dust! THE Opera Queens, that men have wooed and won, Have loved them for a while, and then--anon, Like snow upon Broadway, with lightsome "touch," Annexed their millions, and alas, have flown! OH look you, in the long and varied list Of Millionaires thus rifled and dismissed, How, rich man, after rich man, bode his hour, Then went his way, to swell the golden grist. WHAT Diva's rubies ever glow so red As when some Gilded Chappie hath been bled? And every diamond the Show Girl wears, Dropped in her lap, when some Fool lost his head. AND those who hung around the green-room door, And those who backed the Show and paid the score, Alike, to no such "Angels" have been turned, As, once repentant, men feel sorry for. OH, my Good Fellow, keep the cash, that clears To-day of unpaid debts and future fears. To-morrow! Why, to-morrow, you may be, Yourself, with Yesterday's cast-off millionaires. THEN, make the most of what you still may spend, Ere you, too, into bankruptcy descend, Bill upon bill, and under bill, to lie, Sans Cash, sans Love, sans Lady--What an end! * * * * * WASTE not your evenings in the vain pursuit Of this or that girl. Bittersweet the fruit! Better be jocund with them, one and all, And loving _many_, thus your love dilute. SOME, with vivacity have sought to charm Away my fears, and still my soul's alarm; To win me subtly, with a smile or sigh, Or sweet appealing touch upon the arm. OTHERS have tempted me with festive cheer, And Chafing-dish Concoctions, quaint and queer; With dear, domestic airs have plied their arts-- Yet, all their wiles were neither there nor here! BUT when _Platonic Friendship_ they have tried, Then, to the gods for Mercy, have I cried! For, in the Husband-hunt, all other snares Sink into Nothingness, _this_ game beside! THERE is the Trap, from which you may not flee; There is the Net, through which no man may see. Some jest at "love," some talk of "chums," and then, Into the Consommé, for thee and me! [Illustration: THERE IS THE TRAP, FROM WHICH YOU MAY NOT FLEE.] WHETHER to Church, or to the Magistrate, You follow, after that, 'tis all too late! For, from your Pipe-dream, you, at last, shall wake, A MARRIED MAN, to rail in vain at Fate! LOVE, but the Vision of a dear desire! Marriage, the Ashes, whence has fled the fire! Cast into chains which you, yourself, have forged! Caught, like a sheep upon a stray barbed wire! * * * * * OH Thou, who first the Apple Tree didst shake, And e'en in Eden flirted with the Snake, Still, as in that first moment 'neath the Bough, Dost thou, to-day, of Man a puppet make! BUT this I know--whether the one True Mate, Or just some Fluffy Thing with hook and bait, Eve-like, tempt _me_--one flash of Common Sense, And all her sorcery shall be too late! THEN, let her never look for me, again; For, once escaped, how many moons shall wane, And wax and wane full oft, while still she looks Down that same street--but ah, for ME, in vain! YET, much as I have played the Infidel, If, as the fated Pitcher to the Well, _Too oft_ to Love's empyrean Font I stray, To fall, at last, beneath some Siren's spell, THEN, in your mercy, Friend, forbear to smile, And with the grape my last few hours beguile, Or, let me in some Caravanserie, My Cynic's soul to _shackles_ reconcile. AND when, with me, some fair, triumphant lass, Up to the rose-decked Altar-Rail shall pass, And, in her joyous errand, reach the spot, Where we're made _One_--oh, drain a silent glass! Tamam. [Illustration: T A M A M] End of Project Gutenberg's The Rubáiyát of a Bachelor, by Helen Rowland *** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE RUBÁIYÁT OF A BACHELOR *** ***** This file should be named 31467-8.txt or 31467-8.zip ***** This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: https://www.gutenberg.org/3/1/4/6/31467/ Produced by Emmy, Tor Martin Kristiansen and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will be renamed. Creating the works from public domain print editions 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 with public domain eBooks. 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 https://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 in the public domain 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 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 1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived from the public domain (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 Michael Hart, 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 public domain works 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 F3. 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 MERCHANTIBILITY 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 web page at https://www.pglaf.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. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at https://pglaf.org/fundraising. 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 located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. Fairbanks, AK, 99712., 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 [email protected]. Email contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official page at https://pglaf.org For additional contact information: Dr. Gregory B. Newby Chief Executive and Director [email protected] 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 https://pglaf.org 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 including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.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 thirty 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 Public Domain 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: https://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.