The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-24

tiveness of this part of the home dur
ing the long. cold evenings of winter,
and as a gathering place for the family
and friends. Opening into it are the
billiard room, drawing room, library
and dining room. Probably the good
wife selected for the author the loea
ton of the library which is one of the
pleasantest in the house. From it he
can look away down the valley with
its ever varying hues upon a picture
which nothing enters to mar its peace
full beauty. Near at hand he can see
his own grounds, partly level and part
ly hillside, the latter covered with gorse
and heather and alive with rabbits.
The long writing table of oak, uphol-
stored in leather, contains the neces-
sarv room for writing material. also for
a box of tobacco and an assortment of
pipes, as well as dictionary and one or
two other reference books. Each of the
two cases against the wall holds per-
hapS a hunCred books of poetry, his
tory, travel, biography and fiction, in
Guiding several of his own works: also
an elaborate edition of Scott. But the
selection is very miscellaneous and is
principally for family reading.
Perhaps the most notable feature OF
DIR. Doyle's library is bust of Sher-
lock Holmes, the detective whose mar
Vicious performances as depicted by
the author have been the wonder of
the English reading world. 1t has been
questioned whether Holmes was true
parsonage, or whether he was myth
conjured UP to play his part in the
novelist'S several dramas, such as The
Sign Of the Four" etc. 1t was We'll
known that Holmes friend, "Dr. Wat
son." was none other than the author,
but the identity of Holmes himself was
questioned. The writer can positively
state that he did exist, although the
name of Holmes was naturally ficti-
tiouS. The man, whose right name was
DR.. Belden, was a Scotchman residing
in Marlborough. His study of human
nature led him to play the part OF
detective, and he met with success in
hunting down several noted criminals
who had eluded the professional detec-
tive force of the kingdom. DR.. Doyle
CHANGED to make his acquaintance, and
an intimacy sprang up between the two
men which resulted in the production
of the detective stories" which have
been SO interesting because the reader
was forced by narration to believe
that they were true The famous char
acter was a man of medium height, and
though delicate in appearance, very
wiry and muscular. He was what
Americans would call a dead" shot
with a revolver, and the knowledge OF
his skill among the criminal classes I'M.
doubtedly saved his life on several oc-
casions when tracing out the perpetra-
tors Of crimes
Throughout the home the evidences
Of woman's presence are numerous-in
the dainty roSetteS and other Orna-
mentS on the furniture, in the tasteful
arrangements, in the touches here and
there TO convert the commonplace into
the ornamental-aii Indications of a
womans pride in her house And the
Of Ind ic
one imagines after seeing her handi-
work She is decidedly petite in con-
trast to her big, athletic husband, ana
her delicate appearance is an indlca-
ton of her health. For years she has
suffered from weak lungs. The climate
of the greater part o. Britain is not
helpful to pulmonary troubles, and the
doctor has taken his wife to various
places on the continent recommended
by specialists. The south of France mas
been as beneficial as elsewhere, but has
not entirely relieved her. Through
friends the author heard of the Hasle-
mere valley, with its combination OF
sea and mountain air, with the result
that his wife has found at last place
which affords her permanent relief,
while it is especially suited to his taste
and mode of life. Her illness has not
in any way affected the spirits of the
lady in question. who has the rare fac-
ulty of making those who cross its
threshold feel that at least for the time
they are a part of the household. There
are no traits which prominently distin-
guish Mrs. Doyle from other women IN
her rank of life. She is naturally proud
of her husband, and as interested in
his work as though she herself were
performing it She has been his COM
panion, both at home and on his trav-
els, except when he visited the States
in 1895. The lectures he delivered at
that time she was obliged to
read at a distance. as the ply
sicians deemed it unwise for her 10
cross the Atlantic on account of her
health. While the cares of the home
and the entertainment of the numerous
visitors occupy much of her time. she
has some leisure in which to employ
herself in fancy work Like her hus-
band she is very fond of music, espec-
tally light compositions. such as selec-
tons from Gilbert and Sullivan and
the popular concert hall songs In adj
dition to the pianoforte, a graphophone