The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-03-25
ADVENTURE H.
THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE

| HOPKINS, or Lebanon, I'd, U. .. a.,
there is now another vacancy open
to salary of "a a weekfor purely nom
inal services. All red-headed men who
are sound in body and mind, and above
the age of 81 years, are eligible. Ap-
ply in person on Monday, at IL o'clock,
to Duncan Ross, at the offices of the
League, Pope's court, Fleet street,
"What on earth does this mean?' L
calculated, after l had twice read over
the extraordinary announcement.
Holmes chuckIed, and wriggled in his
chair, as was his habit when in high
spirits. cit is a little off the beaten
track, isn't it2." said he; "And now,
tell us all about. yourself, your house
hold, and the effect which this adyer-
tisement had upon your fortunes. You
will first make note, doctor, .of the
paper and the date .,
''It is the Morning Chronicle of April
p, 1890: Just two months 'atns & 49, 90
"Weli, It is Just as I have been tell
ing you, Mr.. Sherlock Holmes said
Jabez Wilson, mopping his forehead;
81 have a small pawnbroker s business
at Coburg square. near the city. It's
not very large affair, and of late years
it has not done more than just give
me a living. I used to be able to keep
two assistants, but now I only keep
one; land 1 would have "a job to pay
him, but that he is willing to come for
half wages, so as to learn the business. ~
'"What is the name of this obliging
youth?" asked Sherlock Holmes.
"His name is Vincent ,Spaulding, and
he's not such a youth, either. 1t s hard
to say his age. l should not wish a
smarter assistant, Mr.. Holmes; and I
know very we'll that he could better
himself and earn twice what 1 am able
to give him. But, after all, if he is
satisfied, why should l put ideas in his
head9'
"Why, indeed7 You seem most for
tunate in having an employee who
comes under the full market price. 1t
is not common experience among EN-.
ployers in this age. 1 DON know that
|! your assistant is not as remarkable as
: your ADVERTISEMENT. :,
ooh, he has his faults. too,", said
| for photography. Swapping away with
} camera when he ought to be improv'
ing his mind, and then diving down into
, the cellar like a rabbit into it's hole tc
| develop his pictures. This is his mair
fault; but, on the whole, he g a gooo
, worker. There's no vice in him. -
NHe is still with you, presume ="
:, who does bit Of simple cooking an6
t keeps the place clean-that 8 all have
3 in the house, for [ am widower anc
r never had any family. We live very
8 quietly, sir, the three of u.s.; and W.
t keep a roof over our heads and pay ou7
J.. debts, if we do nothing more.
Q '@The first thing that put us out wa
r | that advertisement. Spaulding he CAM
: down into the office just this day eigh
t weeks, with this very paper IN his hand
v =" Il wish to the Lord, Mr.. Wilson
: that I was red-headed man.
"'Why that7' I asks.
!, "'Why, says he, 'here' g another va
q cancy on the League Of the ed-headet
2 Men. It's worth quite a little FORTUNE
y to any man who gets it. and [ under
y stand that there are more vacancie
a than there are men, SO that the trustee
' are at their wits end what to do witt
t the money y # my hair w9 }!1t5o o mi
:, all ready for me to step into
q why, what is it, then9' I asked
. You see, Mr.. Holmes, am very stay
Il at-homc man. and as my business cam
4 70 mo instead of my having to go t
q - it, I was often weeks on end withou
=, putting my foot over the doormat. L
!, l. that way I didn't know much of wha
\ !, was going on outside, and 1 was Away
IL glad of a bit of news.
Have you never heard OF tn
= League of Red-headed Mens' he asked
=, with his eyes open.
g Never
a. "'Why, I wonder at that, for 20
er are eligible yourself for one Of the w
q cancies.'
~ ~ g. And what are they worth9'
n. "sO Oh, merely couple Of hundred
n, year, but the work is slight, and it nee
ID not interfere very much with one
At other occupations
N "Well, you can easily think that thu
TX made me prick up my ears, for the bus
I'd years, and an extra couple of hundre
ne would have been very handy.
a. "'Tell me all about it, said I.
well, said he, showing me tt
=, advertisement, you can see for you
II self that the league has vacancy, an
~ there is the address where you shou]
- apply for particulars. AS far as T ca
70 make out, the league was founded by a
40 American millionaire, Ezekiah Hopkin
a.; ;n who was very peculiar in his ways. E
-, ,n was himself red-headed, and he had
10 great sympathy for all red-headed mel
10 SO, when he died, it was found that
r. had left his enormous fortune in tt
1T hands of trustees, with instructions /
apply the interest to the providing
IA easy berths to men whose hair is of tn;
-; color. From all [ hear it is splend
or pay, and very little to do
"a But said I, there would be mi
a ions Of red-headed men who wou
apply, o+ - ,,,n,, 90 ,,o,, WIGHT u,
an he answered. you see it is really co
it. fined to sLondoners, and to grown me
~ This American had started from Lo
a. don when he was young, and he wantt
~ to do the old town a good turn. The
bv again, I have heard it is no use yo
Ily applying if your hair is light red,
~ dark red, or anything but real brigl
las blazing, fiery red. Now, if you cared
''S apply, Mr.. Wilson, You would just wa
mt in; but perhaps it would hardly
worth your while to put yourself out
lat the way for the sake of few hundr
es, pounds
ch "Now, it is fact, gentlemen, as y
on may see for yourselves, that my he
is of very full and rich tint, so tn
it seemed to me that, If there was to
m any competition in the matter, [ sto
I'D as good a chance as any man that | h
we ever met. Vincent Spaulding seemed
nd know SO much about it that I thong
Ire he might prove useful, so just order
ing him to put up the shutters for the de
is and to come right away with me.
adj was very willing to have a holiday,
ing we shut the business up, and started
be- for the address that was given us
s the advertisement.
ell CT never hope to see such a sight.
rst that again, Mr.. Holmes. From nor
out south, east and west every man W
ter had shade Of red in his hair h
tramped into the city to answer the
aid vertisement. Fleet street was chok