Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-03-12

HOLMES.
The Famous Detective Soon to
Make His Appearance as a
Stage Character.

Admirers OF that wonderfully astute
character in detecting crime. Sherlock
Holmes, will be glad to know that the
novelist--pr. A. Conan DoyIe--who orig
mated the portrayal OF this ingenious
man. has been putting him into dra-
matte form, and that Beerbohm Tree,
the famous English actor, viii probably
Interpret the hero of the title role. II is
not known at present which of the
Sherlock Holmes series he Is drama
tlzing. Possibly he has amalgamated
several OF the stories, and perhaps be
has evolved an entirely new plot for
the remarkable detective. There was
wall of sorrow when the author
brought this human seuth to an I'M
timely end by letting him fall or be
thrown over an abyss In the Alps. He
was good" in literary use for dozen
or more tales, but DIR. Doyle explained
the catastrophe by saying he was
Obliged to do as he did. or the detective
would have killed him, which. trans
lated. means that he was not only tired
of his own brain creation, but that the
necessary mental evolution was exceed
ingly onerous and he desired to quit
this strain on his imaginative faculties.
nc ptIsoHdllty Oh sherlock Holmes
was a peculiar one. He could dissect
the heart intentions, the brain expert
ences. every emotion of others, but he
failed miseraby to overcome the deadly
grasp OF that insidous drug, cocaine.
Then he is mysterious. which is SPLEEN
did attribute for a stage hero. He is
cold blooded, and that is necessary
adjunct for the successful detective. He
is dreamer and a musician, and those
traits will endear him to the feminine
heart. He can control others. but not
himself and hence the matinee girl will
give him her enthusiastic pity.
Those who have not yet perused the
adventures of this wonderful man will
find his characteristics fully outlined in
the first volume of the series, "a Study
In Scarlet" This is description:
Holmes was certainly not a difficult
man to live with. He was quiet in his
ways, and his habits were regular. 1t
was rare for him to be up after 10 at
night. and he had invariably breakfasted
and gone out before | rose In the morn
Ing. Sometimes he spent his day at the
chemical laboratory, sometimes in the
dissecting rooms and occasionally in
long walks. which appeared to take him
into the lowest portions of the city.
Nothing could exceed his energy when
the working ut was upon him; but now
and again u reaction would seize him,
and for days on end he would lie upon
the sofa in the sitting room. hardly ut
tering word or moving a muscle from
morning TO night. On these occasions 1
have noticed such a dreamy. vacant ex-
preston in his eyes that might have
suspected him of being addicted to the
use Of some narcotic had not the tenn
perance and cleanliness of his whole
life forbidden such II notion. His very
person and appearance were such as to
strike the attention of the most casual
observer. In height he was rather over
q feet an excessively lean that he
seemed TO he considerably taller. His
eyes were sharp and piercing. save dur
Ing those intervals of torpor to which |
have alluded. and his thin hawklike
nose gave his whole expression an air
of alertnesg and decision. His chin. too,
had the prominence and squareness
which mark the man of determination.
His hands We're invariably blotted with
ink and stained with chemicals, yet he
was possessed Of extraordinary delicacy
of touch. as | frequently had occasion
to observe when | watched him manipu-
lating his fragile philosophical instru-
ments."
But he was. after all, an ignorant
genius. While possessing a practical
knowledge of botany and geology,
profound comprehension of chemistry
and having some anatomical accuracy,
he knew absolutely nothing of litera-
ture. philosophy, astronomy and other
branches. sun. he gave excellent rea-
sons for not even wishing 10 be In
formed about them But he MIL nm
douhtedly make an interesting Stage
presentation, for there are few charac-
tiers In dramatic art as fascinating as
this analytical, remorseless cocaine
iiend. Holmes. Properly east and his
ironically rendered, II should he one OF
the successful dramas OF the year.
Frederick s. Jarvis. who recently re-
signed the inspectorship Of Scotland
Yard. IL said to be the original of
Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes,