Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1895-07-08

ell mark all the headings and l naturally
began to lun my eye through It. It's
somewhat ambitious title was The
Book OF Life" and it attempted to
show how much an obser yant man may
lealn by an accurate and systematic
examination of all that came in his
way. It struck me as being a re
markable mixture of ShreWdneSs and
Of absurdity. The reasoning was close
and intense. but the deductions appear
ed to me to be far-fetched and eXag
gerated. The writer claimed by mo-
mentary expression, twitch OF
muscle or glance of an eye, to fathom
Il mans inmost thoughts. Deceit, ac-
cording to him, was an impossibillty
IN the case of one trained to oDsefVa-
ton and analysis. His conclusions We're
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.
From a drop of water" said the
writer. "a logician could infer the pos
sibility of an Atlantic or Niagara
without having seen or heard of one
chain. the nature of which is known
whenever we are shown a single INK
Of it, Like all other arts. the science
Of deduction and analysis is one which
can only be acquired by long and pa
tent study, nor is life long enough to
allow any mortal to attain the highest
possible perfection in it. Before turn
ing to those moral and mental aspects
n; hn f..
est difficulties, let the inquirer begin
by mastering more elementary prob
lens. Let him, on meeting fellow
mortal, learn at a 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
tt, look for. BY mans finger nails,
~ his &C atsleeve, by his boot, by Lis
trouser knees, by the calloSities Of his
forefinger and thumb, by his express
sion. by his shirt cuffs-by each Of
these things a mans calling is plainly
revealed. That Ill united should fail
to enljghten the competent inquirer in
thy case is almost inconceivable."
what incffable twa1dle" cried,
slapping the magazine down on the
table II never read such rubbish in
my life!"
what is it?" asked Sherlock Holmes.
'Why. this article" l said, pointing
at it with my egg-spoon as / sat down
to my breakfast. II see that you have
read it, since you have marked it. /
don't deny that it is smartly written.
1t irritates me, though. It is evidently
tn, theory Of some armchair lounger,
who evolves all these neat little para
doxes in the seclusion of his own study.
1t is not practical. should like to see
him clapped down in a third-class car
rage on the Underground, and asked
to give the trades of all his fellow
travellers. / would lay thousand to
one against him.
You would lose your money" Sher-
lock Holmes remarked calmly. ''As for
the article, wrote it myself"
Your
Eyes; have turn both for observa-
ton and deduction. The theories which
have expressed there, and which ap-
pear to you to be so chimerical, are
really extremely practical-so practical
that / depend upon them for my bread
and cheese"
And how? / asked, involuntarily.
<TO Be COntiDuedA