The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-12
THE ADVENTURE OF
THE COPPER BEECHES.
By CONAN DOYLE
ctryight, 1892. BY Conan Doyle.
PART I.
By CONAN DOYLE

.dvertsemcnt sheet OF tho Telegraph. 1T is
,rooucn,ly In its least I'm portant and lowlicst
manifestations that tho kecnest pleasure Is to
be derived. 1t is pleasant tn mo to observe
that you have so far grasped this truth that in
those little records OF our cases which you
have boon good enough to draw IN. and. l am
hound to say, occasionally to einbellish. you
bayc given prominence not 30 much to the
many causes celobros' and sensational trials
in which have figured. but rathor to those
incilents which may have boon trivial in
themselves. but may have givon room for those
faculties OF deduction and Of logical synthcsis
which havo mado my special province"
sand yot." said l. Il cannot quite hold my
sclf abso lvcd from the charge OF sensational
ISM which has been urged against my records
"You have erred. perhaps" he observed.
toking up u glowing cindcr with the tongs and
lighting with it tho long chcrrywood pipe
which was wont to replace his clay when no
was In disputatious rather than meditativo
mood You have erred. perhaps. In attempt
ing to put color and lifo into each Of your
statemcnts. instead OF combining yourself TO
tho task OF placing upon record that severe
reasoning from cause to effect which Is really
the only notable feature about the thing"
ut seems to me that have done you full
Justice in the matter" remarked with some
coldness. for l was repslled by the egotism
which had more than onco observed to be u
factor in my friends singular character.
NO. it is not scnshncss nor conccit." said
no. answering. as was his wont. my thoughts
rather than my words. II claim full Justice
for my art. it is because it is an impcrsonal
thing "a thing beyond myself. Crime Is CON-
mon. Logic is rare. Therefore 1t Is upon the
logic rather than upon the crime that you
should dwell. You have degraded what
should have been a course OF lectures into O
series Of tales"
TWAS a cold morning OF tho early spring.
and we sat after breakfast on either side OF
CHEEKY fire in tho old room at Baker street. A
thick fog rolled down between tho lines OF
dun.colored houses. and the opposing windows
doomed like dark. shapeless blurs through the
heavy yellow wreaths. Our gas was lit aud
shone on the white cloth and glimmer Of china
and metal. for the table had not been cleared
yet Sherlock Holmes had been very quiet all
morning. dipping continuously into the adver-
tisement columns Of succession OF papers.
until at last. having given up his search. he
had emerged in no very sweet temper to lee
ture me upon my literary shortcomings.
AT the same time" he remarked. after q
long pause. during which he had sat putting at
his long pipe and gazing down into the fire.
"you can hardly be open to a charge OF sensa.
tonalism. for out Of these cases which you
have been so kind as to interest yourself In. a
fair proportion do not treat OF crime In it's legal
sense at all. The small matter in which en-.
deavored to help the King OF Bohemia. the sim
gular experience Of Miss Mary Sutherland. the
problem connected with the man with the
twisted lip and the incident OF the noble
bachelor were all matters which are outside
the pale Of the law. But in avoiding the SEN
ssdonal1 fear that you may have bordered on
the trivial" 'a,~
The end may have been So" answered,
but the methods hold to have been novel
and OF interest"
"Pshaw! my dear fellow. what do the public.
the great unobservant public who could hardly
tell weaver by his tooth or q compositor by
his left thumb care about tho finer shades OF
analysis and deduction2 But. indeed. II you
are trivial. cannot blame you. for the days OF
great cases are past. Man. or at least criminal
man. has lost all enterprise and originality.
As to my own little practice it seems to be de-
generating into an agency for recovering lost
lead pencils and giving advice to young ladies
from boarding schools. I think that have
touched bottom ut last. however. This note I
had this morning marks my zero point, I
fancy. Read It'll" He tossed crumpled letter
across to me.
1t was dated from Montague place upon the
preceding evening. and ran thus:
DEAR Mr.. HOLMES: am very anxious to
consult you as to whether should or should
not accept a situation which has been offered
TO me as governess. I shall call at half-past
10 to-morrow. II 1 do not Inconvenience you.
Yours faithfully. VIOLET HUNTER"
DO you know the young lady3" asked.
mot T."
1T Is half past 10 now"
Yes. and have no doubt that Is her ring"
1T may turn out to be Of moro interest
than you think. You remember that the az
lair OF no blue carbuncle. which appeared to
be mere within Mt first. developed into
serious investigation. 1t may DO so In this
case also"
Well let us hope so! But our doubts will
very soon be solved. for hero. unless l am
much mistaken. is the person In question"
Al he spoke. the door opened. and young
lady entered the room. She was plainly but
neatly dressed. with a bright, quick face.
lfockled like n plover's egg. and with the brisk
manner Of woman who has had her own way
to make In the world.
lou will excuse my troubling you. am
sure said she. as my companion rose to greet
nef' but have had very strange expert
ehce' and as have no parents or rotations OF
4
.ought that perhaps you would be kind
'auugh TO tell me what should do"
F'ay take u seat. Miss Hunter shall DO
AapV TO do anything can to servo YOU"
GOULD SEQ that Holmes was iavorably I'm.
p,essed by the manner and speech Of his new
e'eht' lilo looked hor over in his searching
iashion. and then composed himself with his
nus drooping and his finger tips together TO
listen to ''er story
L.-A
nave boon Governcss for flvo ynars
said she. In tho family of Col. Spcnco Mn,ro
but Two months ago the Colonel receivod m
appointment at Halifax In Nova scota. md
TOOK MS children over to America with him GO
That 1 found myself without a situation
advertised and | answered advertisements
hnt without success. At last the littIo inono.
when had saved began to run short AMI
Wasnt my wits end as to what should do
moro Is Well-known agency for gov
erness.s in the West End called Wcstnwsv's
a aml mere used to call about once week in
s older to soc whether anything had turned M
which might suit mo. Westaway was the mama
OF inc founder OF tho business. but 1t ia really
managed by Miss STOPPER. She sits in her own
mute oHice. and tho ladies' who are seokinr
snnloyment walt in the anteroom and are then
snpwn IN one by one. when she consuts her
l"ilsnrS and sees whetker aha has unvthinf,