The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1894-06-22

very remarkable, but as eccentric as all
his other accomplishments. That he
could play pieces, aud difficult pieces, I
knew well, because at my request he
has played me some Of Memberships
"Lietler," and other favorites. When
left to himself. however, he would sell
dom produce any music or attempt any
recognized air. Leaning back in his
~ .n-chair Of an evening. lie would close
his eyes and scrape carelessly Mt tho
fiddle. which was thrown ,cross mis-
Tree. Sometimes the chords were s.ll-
orous and melancholy. Occasio lally
they were fantastic AMI cheerful.
Clearly they scncrtcl the thoughts
which possessed him, but VIII .tllcr the
music aided those thoughts. or wheth-
or the playing was simply the result of
within or fancy was more than I
could determine. might In re rebelled
against these exasperating solos had
II not been that he usually termir ated
them by playing in quick Succession a
whole series Of my favorite airs Us a
slight compensation for the trial upon
my patience.
During the first week or 20 we had no
callers, and I had begun to think that
my companion was as friendlass q man
us l was myself. Presently, however,
found that he had many acquaint-
ances. and those in the most different
classes Of society. There was one lit
tie, sallow, rat-faced, dark-eyed fellow
who was introduced to me as Mr.. Lie.
strNde, and who came three Or four
times In a single week. One morning
young girl called, fashionably dress
cd, and stayed for half an hour or
more. The same afternoon brought q
grHy-hcadetl, seedy visitor, looking like
IL jew petldler, who appeared to me to
bc much excited, and who was closely
followed by n slip-shod elderly woman
On another occasion IN old white-hair
ed gentleman had an interview with
my companion, and on another a rail-
way porter In his velveteen uniform.
When any Of these n0ndescript individ-
uals put In an appearance Sherlock
Holmes used to beg for the use of the
sitting-roOln, and would retire to my
bedroom. He always apologizcd to ME
for putting Inc to this inconvenience.
~ have to use this room as place Of
business" he said, land these people.
are my clients" Again I had an Op-
portunity Of asking him a point blank
question, and again my delicacy pre-
NSAtSu AiAC 1AOIu AOkSllS dtllOluSE ILlNu
to cOnfide In me. imagined at the
time that he had some strong reason
for not abiding to 1t, but he soon dis
PEELED the idea by coming round to
the subject of his own accord.
1t was upon the fourth of March,
rs I have good reason to remember,
that rose somewhat earlier than usu.
nj, and found that Sherlock Holmes
had not vet finished his breakfast. The
landlady had become so accustomed to
my late habits that my place had not
been laid nor my coffee prepared. With
the unreasonable petulance of mankind
rang the bell IN gave curt int.ma-
ton that was ready. Then 1 picked
ur ~ magazine from tho table and at
tempted to while away the time While
my companion munched silently at his
toast. One Of the articles had pen
Gil mark Mt the heading, and naturally
began to lun my eye through 1t. Its
somewhat ambitious title was 1.-THE
Book Of Lfe," and 1t attempted to
show how much an obser 7ant man may
learn by an accurate and systematic
examination of all that came In his
way. 1t struck me as being q re-
markable mixture Of shrewdness aud
of absurlity. The reasoning was close
and intense, but the deductions appear
cd to me to be far-fetched and exag-
gerated. The writer claimed by mo-
mentary expression, a twitch Of q
muscle or glance Of an eye, to fathom
mans Utmost thoughts Deceit, ac-
cOrding to him, was an impossibility
in the case Of one trained to Observa.
ton and analysis. His conclusions were
as infallible as SO many propositions Of
Euclid. So startling would his re-
suits appear to the uninitiated that. I'M
til they learned the processes by which
he had arrived at them, they might
well consider him as necroman.er.
Prom a drop of water" said the
writer, "a lOglcian could infer the pos
sibility of an Atlantic or Niagara
without having seen or heard of one
or the other. So all life is a great
chain, the nature of which is known
whenever we are shown n single link
Of it. Like all other arts. the science
Of deduction and analysis Is one which
can only be acquired by long and pn-
tient study, nor Is life long enlngh to
allow any mortal to attain the highest
possible ptrfestiol in IL Before turn
ing 10 those moral and mental aspects
OF tho matter which present the great
est difficulties, let the inquirer begin
by mastering more elementary prob
lens. Let him, on meeting fellow
mortal. learn Mt glance to distinguish
the history Of the man, and the grade
or profession to which he belongs pu-
Grille as such an exercise may seem, it
sharpens the faculties of observation.
and teaches on where to look and what
Il lcok for. BY a mans finger nails,
)y his &C atsleeve, by his boot, by Lis
trouser knees, by the callosities Of his
fcretinger and thumb, by his express
sion. by his shirt cllffs-by each Of
these things mans calltng is plaiuly
revealed. That all united should fail
to cnlighten tile competent inquirer Id
my case is almost inconccivablc.',,''
What incffable twaidlew cried,
slapping the magazine down on the
table. ~ never read such rubbish in
NY life!" -
what is it?" asked Sherlock Holmes.
why. this article" ! said, pointing
at It with my egg-spQop as ] sat down
to my breakfast. II see that you have
read It, since you have marked It.
don't deny that it is smartiy written,
It irritates mo, though. 1t Ia evidently
tn, theory OF some armchair lounger,
who evolves all these neat little parl.
doxes In the seclusion Of his own study.
1t Is not practical. l should like to $40
him clapped down In third-class car.
rage on the Underground, and asked
to give the trades Of all his fellow
travellers. I would lay thousand to
one against him."
You would lose your money" sber.
lock Holmes remarked calmly. "As for
the article, l wrote 1t myself"
"You!'
Eyes; have turn both for observa.
ton and deduction. The theories which
l have expressed there, and which up
pear to You to be 90 chin srical, are
really extremely practical-so practical.
that depend upon them for my bread
And howE: asked. Involuntary.
40 Be Continually
Net q. Reading.
"You have plenty Of reading here"
said a visitor to the literary editor,
pointing to q pile Of books on the edi.
torial desk.
'These are not Tor reading" replied
the editor. They are for reviewing"
Realism.
"Dost seek the beautiful, sweet maid