The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-10
A1YENTURES oESHERLOCk HOLMES
1.-THE COPPER REEcHES---
BY Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

on the far side Of Winchester, 1t is the
most lovely country, my dear young
lady, and the dearest old country
house
"'And my duties, sir? / should be
glad to know what they would be-
lone child-one dear little romper
just six years old. oh, if you could
see him killing cockroaches with a
slipper! Smack! smack smack.
Three gone before you could wink.
He leaned back in his chair and laugh
ed his eyes into his head again.
Il was d little startled at the nature
of the child's amusement, but the
fathers laughter made me think that
perhaps he was joking.
MY sole duties, then | asked, are
to take charge of a single child?'
mo, no, not the sole, not the sole,
my dear young lady he cried. Your
duty would be, as | am sure your good
sense would suggest. to obey any lit
tie commands my wife might give, pro-
vided always that they were such com
mands as a lady might with propriety
obey. You see no difficulty, heh?'
81 should be happy to make my
self useful
quite SO. In dress now. for eX-
ample. We are faddy people, you
know-faddy but kind-hearted. If
| you werG asked to wear any dress
which we might give you. you would
not object to our little whim. Heh?'
"'No, said /, considerably astonish-
| ed at his words.
8 'Or to sit here, or sit there, that
would not be offensive to you?'
"'Oh, no.
cor to cut your hair quite short
! before you come to u.s.?
i could hardly believe my ears. AS
you may observe. Mr.. Holmes, my hair
! is somewhat luXuriant and of a rath-
CT peculiar tint of chestnut. 1t has
been considered artistic. / could not
dream Of sacrificing it in this Off hand
! fashion. 81
L am afraid that that is quite inn
possible said |. He had been watch
ing me eagerly out of his small eyes,
and l could see shadow pass over
his face as = spoke.
Z" L am afraid that it is quite essen
tial, said ne. 1t is a little fancy of
my wife's, and ladies' fancies, you
know madam, ladies fancics must be
consulted. And SO YOU won't cut your
| hair?'
"'No, sir I really could not I an
swered, firmly.
| "'Ah, very we'll; then that quite
| settles the matter 1t is Il pity, be-
cause in other respects you would real
1
| Miss STOPPER, l had best inspect a few
more of your young ladies'.
| THE manageress had sat all this
while busy with her papers without 4
word to either of us, but she glanced
| at me now with much annoyance
| upon her fact that / could not help
suspectinG that she had lost a hand
some commission through my refusal
Do you desire your name to be
| kept upon the books?' she asked.
If you please, Miss STOPPER.
| "'WeH, really, it seems rather use
| less, since you refuse the most excel
| 'ent offers in this fashion, said she
sharply. You can hardly expect us to
| exert ourselves to find another such
opening for you. Good-day to you,
Miss Hunter She struck gong upon
the table, and l was shown out by the
page.
"Well, Mr.. Holmes, when I got back
/ to my lodgings and found little enough
in the cupboard. and two or three bills
upon the table, / began to ask myself
| whether / had not done a very foolish
hing. After all, if these people had
| strange fadS, and expected obedience
on the most extraordinary matters
| they were at least ready to pay for
their eccentricity. Very few gov
"rnesses in England are getting E100
year. Besides, what use was my
| AT W me ud1lE DtOplc dIt lIllbION-
! ed by wearing it short and perhaps :.
should be among the number Next
| day | was inclined to think that |
! had made mistake. and by the day
after | was sure of it. / had almost
overcome my pride, so far as to go
back to theNagCncy and inquire Wheth-
er the place was still open, when 1 re-
Ccived this letter from the gentleman
! himself. / have it here, and | will
read it to you:
The Copper Bccchcs,
Near Winchester.
Dear Miss Hunter:--Miss STOPPER
has very kindly given me your ad-
dress. and | write from here to ask you
whether you have reGonsidered your
decision. My wife is very anxious that
| you should come, for she has been
much attracted by my description of
you. We are willing to give $50
quarter, or E120 a year, SO as to re-
compcnse you for any little inconven-
| fence which our fads may cause you,
| They are not very exacting, after all.
/ My wife is fond of a particular shade
of electric blue. and would like you
to wear such dress indoors in the
morning. You need not, however go
| to the expense of purchasing one, as
we have one belonging to my dear
daughter Alice (now in PhiladeIphia),
! which would, / should think, fit you
very Well Then, as to sitting here or
there. or amusing yourself in any man
| ner indicated, that need cause you no
| Inconvenience. AS regards you hair,
| it is no doubt a pity, especially as 1
could not help remarking its beauty
during our short interview, but / am