Astounding Science Fiction, British Edition, December 1955 — page 90: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

88 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION wasn’t there. Rasmussen doesn’t remember it either. My first idea when I got there was that the Doc’d gone out the back way, but our seal was still on the door. It hadn’t been opened. While I was thinkin’ that one over— I was standing about in the middle of the hall—I heard this noise like a cork being pulled out of a bottle. I turned around and there was this little cage on the floor. Out of nowhere.”’ “And it was empty?” “Except for some pieces of glass that I’m told belonged to a hypo.” “Broken?” “Smashed to pieces.” “Was the cage door open?”’ Czernak tipped his head to one side, looked at the far wall. ““No, I don’t believe it was.” *‘And exactly where was this cage?’’ Lewis’ eyes burned into the sheriff’s. “Like I said, Welby. Right in front of where the wires was.”’ “And the wires were gone?” “Well—’ Again the sheriff looked uncomfortable. “For just a second there when I turned around after hearing that noise—for just a second there I thought I saw ’em.’ Lewis took a deep breath. Czernak said, ““Now come on and give, will you? Where’ s the Doc. You must have some idea, the way you been askin’ questions.” “He’s taking his entrance exams,” said Lewis. ““And we'd all better pray that he passes.” THE ANALYTICAL LABORATORY The number of letters received on the September issue was far higher than usual—but the number of story-votes was lower than normal. The reason: Donald Kingsbury’s article, “The Right to Breed.’”” Everyone was busy fulminating against the article, and many neglected to vote. Incidentally, Kingsbury’s article maintains its unique record; for the first time in history, a discussion of that highly controversial topic, birth control, evoked a 100% unanimous reaction from the audience. Everybody, without exception, rejected Kingsbury’s professed viewpoint. It seems quite clear that the readership of Astounding, at least, refuses to be trapped into irrationality by simple logic. However, I don’t quite know how to rate such a response in the An Lab figures! The stories, however, scored this way: Place Story Author Points 1. The Long Way Home ht 1) Poul Anderson 1.63 2. The Players Everett B. Cole 2.16 3. The Stutterer R. R. Merliss 2.69 4. The Plains of San Augustine Lee Correy 3.00 comicbooksscom