The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-11-14

the fire in his lodgings at BAKER
street, life is infinitely stranger than
ANYTHING which the mind of man
could invent. We would not dare TO
conceive the things which are really
mere co,nmonplaces Of existence. II
we could fly out of that window hand
in hand, hover over this great city,
gently remove the roofs, and peep
in at the queer things which are 60
ing on, the strange condolences, the
planningS, the cTOSS-purpoSes, the
wonderful chains Of events, working
through generations, n leading 10
the most cutre results, it would make
all fiction with its conventionalities
and fOreseen conclusions most stale
and Improbable"
And yet I am not convinced Of it,"
I answered. THE cases which come
to light in the ape are, as a rule,
beid enough, and vulgar enough. We
have in our police reports realism
pushed to it's extreme limits, and yet
the result is, it must be confessed,
neither fascinating nor artistic
"A certain selection and discretion
must be used in producing a realistic
effect" remarked Holmes. This is
wanting in the police report, where
more stress j. laid, perhaps, upon the
platitudes Of the magistrate than upon
the details, which to an observer
contain the vital essence Of the whole
matter. Depend upon it there is
nothing SO unnatural as the
place"
I smiled and shook my head. 81
a quite understand you thinking
SO" I said. "Of course, in your oosi-
ton OF unofficial adviser and helper
to everybody who is absolutely puz-
zled, throughout three continents, you
are brought in contact with all mat
is strange and bizarre. But here
I picked UP the morning ape from
the ground-"let US put it to a prac-
teal test. Here is the first heading
upon which l come. "A husbands
cruelty to his wife There is half
a column of print, but I know with
out reading it that it is all perfectly
familiar to me. There is. Of course,
the other the drink. the push.
the blow, the bruise, the sympathetic
sister or landlady. The crudest Of
writer's could invent nothing more
crude"
Indeed, your example is an I'M
fortunate one for your argument"
said Holmes, taking the and
glancing his y down Il. This is
the Dundas separation case, and, as
1t happens, / was engaged in clearing
up some small points IN connection
with it. The husband was a tee
totaler. there was no other woman
and the conduct complained of was
that he had drifted into the habit
Of winding up every meal by taking
out his false teeth and hurting them
at his wife, which, you VIII allow, IS
not an action likely to occur to the
imagination of the average story
teller. Take a pinch of snuff, doctor,
and acknowledge that / have scored
over you in your example,"
He held out his snuffbox Of old
gold, with a great amethyst in the
centre Of the lid. It's splendor was
in such contrast to his homely ways
and simple life that I could not help
commenting upon it.
"Ah," said he, Il forgot that / had
not seen you for some weeks. 1t is
a little souvenir from the King Of
Bohemia in return for my assistance
in the case Of the Irene Adler papers"
"And the ring?" / asked. glancing
sparkled upon his finger.
1T was from the reigning family
Of Holland, though the matter in
which I served them was OF such
delicacy that / canine confide 1t even
TO you, who have been good enough
problems"
And have you any OF hand just
now" I asked. with interest
Some ten OF twelve. but none
which present any feature Of Interest
They are important, you understand
without being interesting. Indeed, /
Aave found that it is usually in I'M
important matters that there is a field
for the observation, and for the quick
analysis of cause and effect which
gives the charm to an Investigation
The larger crimes are apt to be the
simpler, for the bigger the crime, the
more OBVIOUS, as a rule. is the mo-
tive. In these cases, save for one
rather intricate matter which has
been referred to me from Marsei1les
hnr 2
features of interest. It is possible
however, that / may have something
better before very many minutes are
over, for this is one OF my clients
or l am much mistaken"
He had risen from his chair, ant
was standing between the parted
blinds. gazing down into the dull
neutrai-tinted london street. Look
ing over his shoulder, I saw that OF
the pavement opposite there stood