Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-05-07

| earth Travelled round the sun appeared 10
be to me such an extraordinary fact that
could hardly realize it.
"You appear to be- astonished," he
said, smiling at my expression of sur
prise. Now that / do know it shall
do my best to forget it. !"
ITO forget itr'
"You see, ho explained. 81 consider
that mans brain originally is like n
little empty attic, and you have to stock
it with such furniture rs You choose. A
fool takes in all the lumber Of every sort
that he comes across, so that the knowl-
edge which might be useful TO him gets
crowded out, or at best is jumbled up
with lot Of other things, so that he
has difficulty in laying his hands up
OH it, Now, the skillful workman is very
careful indeed as 10 what he takes into
his brain attic. He will have nothing
but the tools which may help him in
doing his work, but of these he has a
large assortment, and all in the most
perfect order. 1t is mistake to think
that that little room has elastic walls
and can distond 10 any extent. Depend
upon it, there comes time when for
every addition Of knowledge you forget
something that you knew before. IL Is
Of the highest Importance, therefore, not
to have useless facts elbowing out tho
useful ones. "
but the solar systeml" protested.
"What tho deuce is il 10 me:" hc in
terrupted impatiently "You say that
We go round the sun. IL we went round
the moon, il would not make penny
worth Of difference to me or 10 my
work. :"
Twas on the point of asking him what
that work might be-, but something in
| his manner showed me that the que. tiCn
would be an unwelcome one. | pondered
over our short conversation, however,
and endeayored 10 draw my deductions
from It, He said that he would acquire
no knowledge which did not bear upon
his object Therefore all the knowledge
which he possessed was such as wCuid
be- useful TO him | enumerated in my
own mind all the various points upon
which he had shown me that he was ex-
ceptionally well informed | even took
a pencil ard jotted them down ! ICa"id
not help smiling at the document when
I had completed it. 1t ran in this way:
SHERLOCK HoLMEs-HIs LIMITS.
!. Know ledge Of Literature. Nil.
2. knowledge of Philosophy. vii.
8. knowledge of Astronomy. MI.
4. knowledge Of Politics -Fool.e.
8. Knowiedgo Of Botany. -Y.a9blc.
Well up in belladonna, opium and poi
sons generally. Knows nothing of prac-
teal gardening.
g. knowledge of Geology -Practi
cal, but limited. Tells Mt q glance dif
fercnt soils from each other. After walks
has shown me splashos upon bis trou-
sers, and told me by their color and con
sistence in what part of London he had
received them.
Z. knowledge of Chemistry. Pro
found
S. knowledge Of Anatomy .-Accu-
rate, but unsystematic
0. knowledge Of Sensational Litera-
ture. -Immense He appears to know
every detail OF every horror pcrpetrated
in the century.
10. Plays the violin well.
IL. Is an expert single stick player,
boxer ard swordsman.
l2. Has a good practical knowledge
Of British law
When | had got so far in my list, |
threw il into the fire in despair. IF !
can only find what the fellow is driving
at by reconciling all these accomplish
ments and discovering calling which
needs them all, " said to myself, Il
may as well give up the attempt ut
once. ["
| see that have alluded above 20 his
powers upon the violin. These were very
remarkable, but as eccentric as all his
other accomplishments. That he could
play pieces, and difficult pieces, | knew
well, because at my request he has play
ed mo some Of Mendelssohn' 5 "Lieder'
and other fayorites.
When left to himself, however. he
would seldom produce any music or at
tempt any recognized air. Leaning back
in his armchair of an evening, he would
close his eyes and scrape carelessly at
the fiddle, which was thrown across his
knee Sometimes the chords were sono-
rous and melancholy. Occasionally they
were fantastic and cheerful. Clearly
they reflected tho thoughts which pos
sessed him, but whether the music aided
those thoughts or whether the playing
was simply the result Of whim or
fancy was more than could determine.
/ might have rebelled against these e1-
asperating solos had it not been that he
usually terminated them by playing in
quick succession q whole series Of my
favorite airs as a slight compensation
for the trial upon my patience.
During the first week or so we had no
| callers, and i had begun 10 think that
my companion was as friendless man
as l was myself. Presently, however, /
found that he had many acquaintances
| and those i'm the most different classes
Of society. There was one little, sallow,
rat faced, dark eyed fellow tho was in
troduced to me as Mr.. Lestrade, and
who came three or four times III a sim
| gle week. One morning young girl
| called, fashionably dressed, and staid
| for half an hour or more. The same aft.
ernoon brought gray headed, seedy
visitor, looking like Jew peddler, who
appeared to me to be much excited, and
who was closely followed by slipshod
elderly woman. On another occasion an
old white haired gentleman had an in
terview with my companion, and on an
other railway porter in his velveteen
uniform. When any of these nondescript
individuals put in an appearance, Sher-
| lock Holmes used to beg for the use Of
the sitting room, and l would retire to
my bedroom. He always apologized to
me for putting me to this Inconvenience.
II have to use this room as place Of
business" he said, "and these people
are my clients" Again had an oppor-
tunity of asking him point blank ques.
tion, and again my delicaoy prevented
me from forcing ANOTHER man to coniide
in me. imagined at the time that he
had some strong reason for not alluding
to it, but he soon dispelled the idea by
coming round to the subject Of his own
accord.
fro BE CONTINUED
Saxony was so called because it was