The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-01
ADVENTURE Ill IL I'd
CASE OF IDENTITY

Holmes, as we sat on either side of the
fire in his lodgings at Baker street,
life is infinitely stranger than any
thing which the mind of man could in
vent; We would not dare to conceive
the things which are really mere COM n
fly out of that window hand in hand,
hover over this great city, gently re-
move the roofs, and peep in at the
queer things which are going on, the
strange condolences, the plannings, the
cross purposes, the wonderful chains Of
leading to. the most outre results, it
would make all fiction with it's con-
ventionalities and foreseen conclusions
most stale and Improbable. -.
! answered "The cases which come to
light in the papers are, as a rule, bald
enough, and vulgar enough. We have
in our police reports realism pushed to
its extreme limits, and yet the result
is,. it must be confessed, neither fascin-
atlng nor artistic
ga certain selection and discretion
must be used in producing a realistic
effect remarked Holmes. "This is
wanting in the police report, where more
stress is laid, perhaps, upon the plati-
tudes of the magistrate than upon the
details, which to an observer contain
the vital essence Of the whole matter.
AcpCAN upon ~ huGic 10 HclulAS 81 Ill
natural as the commonplace.
| smiled and shook my head. II can
quite understand you thinking 500
said. "Of course, in your position of
unofficial adviser and helper to every,
body who is absolutely puzzled, turnout
tact with all that Is strange and
bizarre. But here"-I picked up the
morning paper from the ground-'l lei
US put it to practical test. Here is
the first heading upon which I come
a husband g cruelty to his wife.
There is half column of print, but
! know without reading it that thu it is al
perfectly familiar to me. There is, Of
course, the other woman, the drink, the
push, the blow, the bruise, the sympa
thetic sister or landlady. The crudes
of writers could invent nothing more
crude,
fortndfs ns yfa T e1emPs is an
hie his eys d t9knf the a2sr 'f6 the sbs aSd
separation case, and, as it happens,
was engaged in clearing up some small
points in connection with it. The hus
band was teetotaler, there was n
planned of was that he had drifted int
the habit Of winding up every meal b.
taking out his false teeth and hurlini
them at his wife, which, you will allow
IS not an action likely to occur to tn
imagination Of the average story teller
Take a pinch Of snuff, doctor, and &C
knowledge that T have scored over yo
in your example" =.
He held out his snuffbox Of old colo
with a great amethyst in the centre o
the lid. Its splendor was in such cor
trast to his homely ways and simpl
life that 1 could not help commenting
upon it.
"Ah,' said he, 1T forgot that I ha
not seen you for some weeks. It is
little souvenir from the King o
Bohemia in return for my assistance i
the case of the Irene Adler papers,
"And the ring?',, I asked, glancing a
remarkable brilliant which sparkle
upon his finger.
CIT was from the reigning family 0
Holland, tho the matter in which
served them was of such delicacy tina
| cannot confde it even to you, VIII
have been good enough to chronicle on
OF two of my little problems:
And have you any. on hand Jul:
now1' ! asked, with interest.
"Some ten or twelve, but none whic
present any feature of interest. The
are important, you understand, withor
being interesting. Indeed, | have foun
that it is usually in unimportant ma
ters that there is a field for the o.
[ servation, and for the quick analysis (
CAUSE dHl clltCG WIllCn SlNcS VIC Clcl
to an investigation. The larger GRIM
I are apt to be the simpler, for the bigg
the crime, the more obvious, as a rul
is the motive. In these cas-
save for one rather intrica
presents any features Of interest.
is possible, however, that / may ha'
something better before very ma,
minutes are over, for this is one Of n
clients, or I am much mistaken"
He had risen from his chair, and W
standing between the parted ,blint
gazing down into the dull, neutral tint
J. saw that on the pavement opposi
there stood large woman with hea
fur boa around her neck, and a lar
curling red feather in a broad-brimm
hat which was tilted in a coquetti
Duchess of -Devonshire fashion over h
she peeped up in a nervous, hesitate
fashion at our windows, while her DO
oscillated backward and forward, a
her fingers fidgetted with her glove b.
tons. Suddenly, with a plunge, as of t
swimmer who leaves s the bank, she h !
sharp clang of the bell.
81 have seen those symptoms
fore,' said Holmes, throwing his Gig
cite into the fire. "Oscillation up
the pavement always means an all
de occur. She would like advice, /
is not sure that the matter is not
delicate for communication. And y
even here we may discriminate. WI
g. woman has been seriously wrong
by man she no longer oscillates, a
the usual symptom is broken bell wi
Here we may take it that there is
love matter, but that the maiden is
so much angry as perplexed, or griev
But here she comes in person to resO
our doubts.'
AS he spoke there was tap at |
door, and the boy in buttons entered
announce Miss Mary Sutherland, WI
the lady herself doomed behind his sn
black figure like full-sailed mercha
man behind a tiny pilot boat. Sherlt
Holmes welcomed her with the g:
courtesy for which he was remarkal
Ind having closed the door, and bov
her into an armchair, he looked
over in the minute, and yet abstrac
! fashion which was peculiar to him.
EDO you not fnd,' he said, ct
With your short sight it is little try
! III did at first" she answered, 6"
now T know where the letters are wi
)ut looking" Then, suddenly realiz
The full purport of his words, she g.
! violent start and looked up, "
lear and astonishment upon her bro
good-humored face. you've he
bout me, Mr.. Holiness she cried, 81
low could you know n al thatp' -
Ing; dit is my business to know thi1
what Others overlook. If not, '
Il shou1d uo,,; cnyt q tn consult ne9,j