The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-07-12


much the worse for wear. The lining
had been of red silk, but was a good
deal discolored. There was no maker s
name; but, as Holmes had remarked,
the initials "H. 3D. were scrawled
upon one side. It was pierced in the
brim for hat-securer, but the elastic
was missing. For the rest, it was
cracked, exceedingly dusty, and spotted
in several places, although there seemed
to have been some attempt to hide the
discolored patches by smearing them
with ink.
IT can see nothing" said 7, handing
it back to my friend.
con the contrary, Watson, you can
see everything. You fail, however, to
reason from what you see. You are too
timid in drawing your differences. -
FThen, pray tell me what it is that
you can infer from this hat9''
He picked it up and gazed at it in
the peculiar retrospective fashion which
was characteristic of him. cit is per-
haps less suggestive than it might have
been," he remarked, "and yet there
are few differences which are very dis
tinct, and few others which represent
at least strong balance of probability.
That the man was highly intellectual is,
Of course, obvious upon the face Of it,
and also that he was fairly well-to do
within the last three years, altho he
has now fallen upon evil days. He had
foresight, but has less now than for
merly, pointing to moral retrogres-
sion, which, when taken with the de-
| cline of his fortunes, seems to indicate
some evil influence, probably drink, at
work upon him. This may account also
for the obvious fact that his wife has
| ceased to love him. ....
my dear Holmes!' '-
| "He has, however, retained some de-
gree of self-respect, he continued, dis
regarding my remonstrance. "He is a
man who leads sedentary life, goes
out little, is out of training entirely,
is middle-aged, has grizzled hair which
he has had cut within the last few
days, and which he anoints with lime
cream. These are the more patent facts
which are to be deduced from his hat.
Also, by the way, that it is extremely
improbable that he has gas laid on in
his house, .~a.
you are certainly joking, Holmes. y
"Not in the least. Is it possible that
even now, when I give you these re-
suits, you are unable to see how they
are attained7' -
81 have no doubt that I am very
stupid; but must confess that I am
unable to follow you. For example,
how did you deduce that this man was
intellectual7' !
For answer, Holmes clapped the hat
upon his head. It came right over the
forehead and settled upon the bridge of
his nose. cit is question of cubic
capacity he said; "a man with SO
large a brain must have something
in it,
"The decline of his fortunes, thens'
This hat is three years old. These
fiat brims curled at the edge came in
then. It is a hat of the very best quail
ity. Look at the band of ribbed silk
| and the excellent lining. If this man
could afford to buy so expensive hat
:. three years ago, and has had no hat
since, then he has assuredly gone down
in the world.' ~
"Well, that is clear enough, certain.
!; ly. But how about the foresight an6
the moral retrogression7'
Sherlock Holmes laughed HHere is
: the foresight, " said he, putting his fin
ger upon the little disk and loop of the
hat-securer. "They are never solo
: upon hats. IF this man ordered ono, il
, is a sign Of a certain amount of fore
sight, since he went out Of his way tt
take this precaution against the wind
But since we see that he has broker
the elastic, and has not troubled to re
place it, it is obvious that he has less
foresight now than formerly, which il
distinct proof of a weakening nature
On the other hand, he had endeavoret
to conceal some of these stains upo1
the felt by daubing them with ink
which is a sign that he has not entirely
lost his self-respect.''
"'Your reasoning is certainly plaus
ible.''
The further points, that he is mid
: dle-aged, that his hair is grizzled, tina
it has been recently cut, and that h,
uses lime-cream, are all to be gathered
:, from close examination Of the lowe
J. part Of the lining. The lens disclose
5 a large number Of hair-ends clean GU
$ by the scissors of the barber. The,
all appear to be adhesive, and there i
t a distinct odor Of lime-cream. Thi
3 dust, you will observe, is not the gritty
gray dust of the street, but the fluff,
brown dust Of the house, showing tina
it has been hung up indoors most OF. tn
!, time; while the marks Of moisture upol
: the inside are proof positive that tn
9 wearer .perspired very freely, and could
q therefore. hardly be in the best o
9 training
t But his wife you said that she ha,
Y ceased to love him. =
:, HThis hat has not been brushed TO
! weeks. When | see you, my dear Wat
: son, with week s accumulation Of dus
! upon your hat, and when your wife al
2 lows you to go out in such state,
Y shall fear that you also have been un
fortunate enough to lose your wife's at
8 fection.''
"But he might be bachelor
Nay, he was bringing home tn
goose as peace-ofering to his wife