A carriage driver, fired for alcoholism, is left alone in a dark room. A stuffed owl startles him and he throws something at it. The owner of the house comes in:
"If you can conceive a Russian Grand Duke in a Rajah's throneroom advancing to greet a visiting Emperor, you will gather something of the majesty of his manner. But Thomas McQuade was too near his
d t's to be mindful of his p's and q's. "
O.Henry was an alcoholic, and died of cirrhosis of the liver.But I'll bet he had many acquaintances who had mental symptoms of alcoholism - delirium tremens.
Quinion has an article about p's and q's. Not too interesting.
http://www.quinion.com/words/articles/psandqs.htm
