Another O'Henry Ending.....

Lately I have been taking advantage of my Kindle's Unlimited abitlity to download books for free. This feature allows Kindle authors to put their work out there and be compensated by a pool of the fees for Kindle Unlimited members. So you can get a bunch of free books.

I have been reading a bunch of detective stories about a private eye called Quinn. Actually an insurance investigator out of Philly. There are about ten books and they are pretty good. Nothing earth shattering but a good quick read.

Then there is a time travel series about this guy who is transported back to the Alamo and changes everything. He is transported into Colonel Travis's body and changes the course of history. There are three books so far and they are pretty cool.

Then there is one that made me smile. It's called "The Austrian Painter." In it they suppose that Germany wins the first World War. France is the main enemy and they come to peace with Britain because the war ends before the massive slaughter. The US is not involved and Britain keeps it's empire. The Kaiser stays in control as does the Czar. No communism.

It is very obvious who the Austrian painter is supposed to be. He is a vet of the first war and makes a decent living as painter in a peaceful prosperous Germany. The problem of colonialism is the main world wide problem and causes a war between France and Germany. Where this guy because a spokesman for the peace movement.

They reveal who he is in the last line of the story. You have to be a moron to have not figured it out but there are a lot of morons out there. In any event it is a great example of an O'Henry ending.  I have to laugh. Nice concept. Good execution. Well done.

Plus you can read it for free.

A Very Serious Post for all Fans of Lem's Levity!

Most of us really enjoy posting and commenting here at Lem’s. It had offered us a safe port in the storm of a few years ago that we all remember so well. It has grown as a place of great conversations and pointless arguments. Both of which have an important place in our day to day lives or we wouldn't bother with it. If we didn't care about it we would treat it the way Hillary treats the law. So if it is as important to you as it is to me I have something I need to talk to you about.

Lem has graciously offered us this place to converse and generously let other mooks like me pontificate. But this is not real life and in real life Lem could use a hand. He is too modest and proud to ask for contributions but since I am neither of those things I ask that you put something in the tip jar for him. Use his Amazon portal or just send a couple of bucks. He could really use it and if you value this place at all it would be great if you could help out. Everyone should do what they can do. I know many of us are in tight economic circumstances and it is hard to find extra cash but every little bit helps. Please don’t explain yourself in the comments one way or another. Do it if you can. Do it if you want. It’s up to you.

Many other blogs with the proprietors who are in much better financial circumstances ask for contributions all the time. I see them incessantly at joints like Powerline and Legal Insurrection and those guys are swimming in it in comparison. It is almost impossible to monetize a blog as many can attest. But a little bit right now would go a long way. So do what you can and accept my gratitude and that of our fearless leader.

Let’s keep our friend in plantain’s and pointy shoes if we can. Thanks.

Doc Holiday Must Die

Doc stood out on the wooden boardwalk and watched as the bar swamper and another patron carried the limp body of Lew McCall down the street toward the undertakers. He straightened his cravat and touched his hide out gun in the pocket of his vest. He walked along the boardwalk until he crossed the line. The line was the imaginary border between the upper and lower classes. 

As a dentist Doc had an entrée to the “better” side of town. The further away from the heart of the district the less you heard the revelry of the underemployed. Hickok stood across the street and looked up and down the thoroughfare from the front of the jail house that was smack dab on the line. He followed the group walking down the street with baby steps as they hefted the dead weight of the knucklehead he had just shot. Hickok was illuminated it the gas light that hung from the top of the porch in front of the jail. That seemed a chancy thing to do. Hickok was a bold man. Perhaps it is true that fortune favors the bold. Perhaps it even had a sneaking affection for the stupid. Standing in full view like an illuminated sign seemed stupid instead of bold. It wasn't Doc’s problem so it was none of his never mind.