Episode 281: The Lantern's Dance

<h4 style="text-align: center;">“a most complete and remarkable woman” [LION] </h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7nZKF9rYklfpYqhsE88Ku8wOWPNdi6pmY_7SnKyZviXX0dZ_2J_DUl_ALHfpSdoJUWorpi49MDebyFUakV3tUcvQ23z4Zrsf5_U2k33Imt3xm0KX4iRwKx_jpHa3-fDhwP48cwto3wpRR34mH8x4AdgcttsvQceRcRDvgAnqE8b-OQhxgCixwiYhZ2vhT/s2400/ihose281%20widescreen.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7nZKF9rYklfpYqhsE88Ku8wOWPNdi6pmY_7SnKyZviXX0dZ_2J_DUl_ALHfpSdoJUWorpi49MDebyFUakV3tUcvQ23z4Zrsf5_U2k33Imt3xm0KX4iRwKx_jpHa3-fDhwP48cwto3wpRR34mH8x4AdgcttsvQceRcRDvgAnqE8b-OQhxgCixwiYhZ2vhT/w640-h480/ihose281%20widescreen.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><div><p>It's odd to think that the Mary Russell series predates this show, yet we've never spoken with Laurie R. King, BSI ("The Red Circle") specifically about her most acclaimed series.</p><p>The 18th book in the Mary Russell series, <i>The Lantern's Dance</i>, is available on February 14, and Ms. King joined us to talk about her creation. Her familiarity with Sherlock Holmes is far from typical, and this unusual pairing of Ms. Russell and Mr. Holmes, which began with <i>The Beekeeper's Apprentice</i> in 1994, is as fresh and resilient as ever.</p><p>We talk about the development of the Sherlock Holmes character in her series, the impact of India, how fandom has responded and grown, and discover at which major events Laurie will be appearing this year. </p><p>The <b>Canonical Couplet</b> quiz is back, and it's an <b><i>easy</i></b> one! The winner, chosen at random from all correct answers, will win a copy of <i>The Lantern's Dance</i>. Send your answer to comment @ ihearofsherlock .com by February 14, 2024 at 11:59 a.m. EST. All listeners are eligible to play.</p><p><br /></p><p>If you become a <a href="https://ihose.co/ihosepatron" target="_blank">Patron of the Arts</a>, not only will you help to ensure we can keep doing what we do, covering file hosting costs, production, and transcription services, but we have thank-you gifts at certain tiers and ad-free versions of the episodes for all patrons.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a data-patreon-widget-type="become-patron-button" href="https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=2318606">Become a Patron!</a></p><div><div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><h3><a href="https://traffic.libsyn.com/ihearofsherlock/ihearofsherlock281.mp3" target="_blank">Download</a> [Save As] | File size: 113 MB, 1:22:32</h3><iframe allowfullscreen="" data-dashlane-frameid="8519" data-dashlane-rid="19fa5605574ee9cb" data-form-type="other" height="192" mozallowfullscreen="true" msallowfullscreen="true" oallowfullscreen="true" scrolling="no" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/29727683/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/113666/time-start/00:00:00/playlist-height/200/direction/backward/download/yes/font-color/FFFFFF" style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="100%"></iframe><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-wrap: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><br /></div><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-wrap: nowrap; word-break: normal;"></div><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-wrap: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><br /></div><h4 style="line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; word-break: normal;"><span style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://pod.link/ihearofsherlock" target="_blank">Listen to I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere anywhere</a></span></h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://pod.link/ihearofsherlock" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="232" data-original-width="639" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIyAfMy7WsxQV7D-7YxXoJ7uyOK4l3ZKzNMFZT0_e2g_3u8z2Gbtn4x3WQzTw0OqaSsP-k13-QHde9EnFgO3uzikjHmQ3rK2_0Xmvb_v6ggUV32CnZ2ZeqiSrAkGL0SUYMvr0JEiMJupjFvq8dQL8CuZqAWTTbMcYBZVV1NHgYP4X5XME7qekOhj2fZg/w400-h145/Pod%20Link.png" width="400" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div></div></div><h2 style="margin: 0px;">Sponsors</h2><div style="margin: 0px;"><ul><li><a href="https://mxpublishing.com" target="_blank">MX Publishing</a> regularly issues a <b>Thank Holmes It's Friday</b> newsletter, filled with first-to-know information and discounts for regular subscribers. 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Let's chat!<br /><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br /></div><h2><b>Links</b></h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i><a href="https://amzn.to/42rwKHq" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Lantern's Dance</a></i></li><li><a href="https://amzn.to/3OrgQHg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Mary Russell series</a></li><li><a href="https://ihose.co/ihose105" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode 105: Echoes of Sherlock Holmes</a></li><li>News items:</li><ul><li><a href="https://www.bestofsherlock.com/mss/crooked-man-2024.htm" target="_blank">Page from "The Crooked Man" manuscript up for auction</a> (Best of Sherlock)</li><li><a href="https://www.sherlock-holmes.org.uk/sherlock-holmes-in-india-2025/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Sherlock Holmes Society of London India excursion</a> (SHSL)</li><li><a href="https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/latest/2024/1/24/sherlock-hound-anime-40th-anniversar[…]s?irclickid=WWxTr4R6UxyPWsxwqXwUFWi6UkHza8yJw2xBSo0&irgwc=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Celebrating the 40th anniversary of <i>Sherlock Hound</i></a> (Crunchyroll)</li></ul><li>Find all of our relevant links and social accounts at <a href="http://linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock">linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock</a>.</li></ul><div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>And would you consider leaving us a rating and review? It would help other Sherlockians to find us.</div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px;">Your thoughts on the show? Leave a comment below, send us an email (comment AT ihearofsherlock DOT com), call us at 5-1895-221B-5. That's (518) 952-2125.</div><div style="font-family: "times new roman";"><div style="margin: 0px;"><br /></div></div><h3><br />Transcript</h3><div style="margin: 0px;">We are so grateful for our supporters <a href="http://patreon.com/ihearofsherlock" target="_blank">on Patreon</a>, who make our transcripts possible. 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Episode 281: The Lantern's Dance

“a most complete and remarkable woman” [LION]  It's odd to think that the Mary Russell series predates this show, yet we've never sp...

+ Read more »

by Scott Monty

The 2024 BSI Weekend – Awards and Honors

<h4 style="text-align: center;">“a brief review of what had passed” [THOR]  </h4><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS4_3aDGLowqkV-x0WJxjs-QBO_oR6HhrUwszO9AP-hq6640YBGiC0yexdq2p11w1ryWkQR_3LGJXwZIpFgrVRlMghuX7RZw91vXZhP5FuIrWM-UdffVeRtHhqaCQ2fAZq7CS4DnI6I7ociVoedOwpeCmWZxlBEXpcv1cGEfwlQb2y6tvvnTPq3J44UIqb/s2048/BSI%20Class%20of%202024.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1271" data-original-width="2048" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS4_3aDGLowqkV-x0WJxjs-QBO_oR6HhrUwszO9AP-hq6640YBGiC0yexdq2p11w1ryWkQR_3LGJXwZIpFgrVRlMghuX7RZw91vXZhP5FuIrWM-UdffVeRtHhqaCQ2fAZq7CS4DnI6I7ociVoedOwpeCmWZxlBEXpcv1cGEfwlQb2y6tvvnTPq3J44UIqb/w640-h398/BSI%20Class%20of%202024.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo credit: Will Walsh  </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div>As chronicled in the <a href="https://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2024/01/episode-280-bsi-weekend-recap.html" target="_blank">latest episode of I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere</a>, the 2024 BSI Weekend happened in New York City from Wednesday, January 9 – Sunday, January 14, 2024.<div><br /></div><div>It was the BSI's largest dinner to date, and some 300+ Sherlockians descended on Midtown Manhattan to celebrate the 170th birthday of Sherlock Holmes and the 90th anniversary of the <a href="https://bakerstreetirregulars.com/" target="_blank">Baker Street Irregulars</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>For the purposes of this update, we're focused on the accolades from the weekend, which happened over a series of events.</div><div><br /></div><div>On Thursday, January 10, the <a href="http://acdsociety.com/">ACD Society</a> held its annual meeting at the Mysterious Bookshop, which once again included the running of the Wessex Cup, with 16 entered horses, all designed by Peggy McFarlane, BSI ("Violet Westbury").</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div></div><div><h3>Doylean Honors</h3></div><div>The ACD Society also had a more august role, which was the conferring of its annual <a href="http://acdsociety.com/" target="_blank">Doylean Honors</a>.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfVaY99UFtbUg5oqgBeqpnMSkNMHDGFDhKh9HsAXQDaui3lWckPjceIACjChc4My3jMx-soyHqlHBDUNVknElDz6Q4iVUwswtmXp-ygz7LujNevjUUwYTRVWaiHmSA2llMtg0uCuPzFRJoTW5UY4mp8lbHFCkUPjki3WrJaZnp5vs-HhBe-o3jk1IRLw/s616/ACD%20Society%20Doylean%20Honors%202022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="616" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfVaY99UFtbUg5oqgBeqpnMSkNMHDGFDhKh9HsAXQDaui3lWckPjceIACjChc4My3jMx-soyHqlHBDUNVknElDz6Q4iVUwswtmXp-ygz7LujNevjUUwYTRVWaiHmSA2llMtg0uCuPzFRJoTW5UY4mp8lbHFCkUPjki3WrJaZnp5vs-HhBe-o3jk1IRLw/s320/ACD%20Society%20Doylean%20Honors%202022.jpg" width="312" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><br /><b>For Lifetime Service:</b><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/my-favourite-sherlockians-3-brian-pugh-steve-emecz/">Brian Pugh</a></li></ul><b><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div>For excellence in the "Fiction and Poetry" category:</b><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://belangerbooks.com/pages/about-us">Derrick Belanger</a> for the short story "The Joyce-Armstrong Confession" in <i><a href="https://amzn.to/4b6uFV5" target="_blank">Steel True, Blade Straight</a></i> (Belanger Books)</li><li><a href="https://www.fantasticfiction.com/m/david-marcum/">David Marcum</a> for the short story "Fate's Brushes" in <i><a href="https://amzn.to/4b6uFV5" target="_blank">Steel True, Blade Straight</a></i> (Belanger Books)</li><li><a href="https://www.leemurray.info/">Lee Murray</a> for the short story "Māoriland Blue" in <a href="http://acdsociety.com/bjg/1/bjg1.html">The Terror of Blue John Gap Project</a> (ACD Society)</li></ul><br /><b><br /></b><div><b>For excellence in the "Visual Arts" category:</b><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.europecomics.com/author/vincent-mallie/">Vincent Mallié</a> for the illustrations in the graphic novel adaptation of The <a href="https://store.magnetic-press.com/products/sherlock-holmes-a-study-in-scarlet"><i>First Adventure of Sherlock Holmes: A Study in Scarlet</i></a> (Magnetic Press)</li></ul><br /><b><br /></b><div><b>For excellence in the "Scholarly Writing" category:</b><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.napier.ac.uk/people/emily-alder">Emily Alder</a> for the article <a href="https://muse.jhu.edu/article/901285/summary">Arctic Ghosts: Whale Hunting and Haunting in Arthur Conan Doyle’s "'The Captain of the “Pole-Star'"</a> in <a href="https://victorianstudies.indiana.edu/victorian-studies-journal/index.html"><i>Victorian Studies</i></a> (North American Victorian Studies Association)</li><li><a href="https://edinburgh-conan-doyle.org/douglas-kerr-2/">Douglas Kerr</a> for the article <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/03061973231175839">Arthur Conan Doyle, Eugenics, and the Hand of God</a> in <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/home/LAH"><i>Literature & History</i></a> (Sage)</li><li><a href="https://sentry.rmu.edu/web/cms/Pages/faculty-profile.aspx?iattr=111507">Sylvia A. Pamboukian</a> for the chapter <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-16000-4_3">Dying Game: Unrepentant Outlaws in Christie and Doyle</a> in <a href="https://amzn.to/48YKNWT"><i>Agatha Christie and the Guilty Pleasure of Poison</i></a> (Palgrave MacMillan)</li></ul><div><div><br /></div><div>To watch the entire ceremony (about 45 minutes long), visit <a href="https://www.doingsofdoyle.com/" target="_blank">Doings of Doyle</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h3>Susan Rice Mentorship Award</h3><div>On Friday at the Gillette Luncheon, the assembled diners bore witness to the latest recipient of the Susan Rice Mentorship Award.</div><div><br /></div><div>The <a href="http://www.vincentstarrett.com/blog/susan-rice-mentorship-award" target="_blank">Susan Rice Mentorship Award</a> was established in 2022 to recognize the activities of a member of the Sherlock Holmes community who has been a mentor to others, in the spirit of Susan Rice.</div><div><br /></div><div>This year's honoree, announced at the William Gillette Luncheon, was <b>Francine Kitts, BSI</b> ("Lady Hilda Trelawney Hope").</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKr8r8tGQ6PlYbI5XYrc5DqdrQlWDVJ9fzSbiD5fmIeAeVG6Il1UcNRDV1uLZL10B1jOifBo-BGh45-ft5TSsvtxEpjPqOSOt5Q7hblIpUioKdYKaPGr2SDCLY_CJOt_tlmsugB8gE6jr2P8EQ-e3ZQXML3F4gSxMTtcqHjpTK-UmvxLhlvXw6tpPsZHu/s2048/Francine%20Kitts%20receives%20Susan%20Rice%20Mentorship%20Award.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1458" data-original-width="2048" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKr8r8tGQ6PlYbI5XYrc5DqdrQlWDVJ9fzSbiD5fmIeAeVG6Il1UcNRDV1uLZL10B1jOifBo-BGh45-ft5TSsvtxEpjPqOSOt5Q7hblIpUioKdYKaPGr2SDCLY_CJOt_tlmsugB8gE6jr2P8EQ-e3ZQXML3F4gSxMTtcqHjpTK-UmvxLhlvXw6tpPsZHu/w640-h456/Francine%20Kitts%20receives%20Susan%20Rice%20Mentorship%20Award.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Ray Betzner presents Francine Kitts the award (photo credit: Will Walsh)</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div>The inaugural award went to <b>Peter Blau, BSI</b> ("Black Peter") and the second annual award went to <b>Evy Herzog, BSI </b>("The Daintiest Thing Under a Bonnet").</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h3>Plaudits From the BSI Dinner</h3><div>As ever, the swirling curiosity and interest are centered on the Baker Street Irregulars annual investitures of new members. But before that, we were greeted with other substantial news.</div><div><br /></div><h4><i>The </i>Woman</h4><div><i>The </i>Woman, an honorific given to the spouse of a Baker Street Irregular was announced at the pre-dinner reception. This year's honoree was <b>Pamela Wampler</b>, wife of <b>Steven Doyle, BSI</b> ("The <i>Western Morning News</i>"). She was toasted and introduced by <b>Mark Gagen, BSI</b> ("Sir James Damery"), after which Pam gave her own good-spirited remarks.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ9h0oX9ir-nJyrX6NE7hjMReToNI-rLiDf5zqN1vl0BeWnjo9jF_SY4szk3UTMw83_4TXR_JObMOISytphPqAIKHNMveGGny3D3reIcKBdyyQpEoqUuwIa1bzSYwNqjwytCoX0g6lt2Ylce2CqNrS8oa-DQYXOSmBMeoWHawAqQxyIXdv4U4jxviKfkG3/s2048/The%20Woman%20-%20Gagen%20toasts%20Wampler.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1606" data-original-width="2048" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ9h0oX9ir-nJyrX6NE7hjMReToNI-rLiDf5zqN1vl0BeWnjo9jF_SY4szk3UTMw83_4TXR_JObMOISytphPqAIKHNMveGGny3D3reIcKBdyyQpEoqUuwIa1bzSYwNqjwytCoX0g6lt2Ylce2CqNrS8oa-DQYXOSmBMeoWHawAqQxyIXdv4U4jxviKfkG3/w640-h502/The%20Woman%20-%20Gagen%20toasts%20Wampler.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /><h4>The Morley-Montgomery Award</h4></div><div>Each year, one article in the <i><a href="https://ihose.co/BSJ" target="_blank">Baker Street Journal</a></i> (as determined by a panel of judges) is chosen for the <a href="https://bakerstreetirregulars.com/2001/05/01/morley-montgomery-award/" target="_blank">Morley-Montgomery Award</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>This year, the award was given to <b>Eric Scace</b> for his article “Five Quarter Centuries of Confusion Over the Missing Three-Quarter,” concerning the nuances of Victorian telegraphy that appeared in the Spring 2023 issue of the <i>BSJ</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Eric's partner <b>Jessica Schilling</b> won the 2020 Morley-Montgomery Award for her article “Just His Type: An Analysis of the <i>Découpé </i>Warning in <i>The Hound of the Baskervilles</i>.” This makes them the first Sherlockian couple to individually hold the award.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h3>The Honours List (Investitures)</h3><div>And then we arrived at the announcement of the latest investitures into the Baker Street Irregulars. Membership is granted by <b>Michael Kean, BSI</b> ("General Gordon"), who serves at the BSI's "Wiggins." Each member receives an investiture — a phrase from the Sherlock Holmes canon that is significant or in other ways meaningful to that person.</div><div><br /></div><div>The BSI's Class of 2024 is:</div><div><div><ul><li><b>Rudy Altergott</b> — "Old Patrick"</li><li><b>Derrick Belanger</b> — "The Board Schools"</li><li><b>Tom Brydges</b> — "Waterloo Bridge"</li><li><b>Fabienne Courouge</b> — "Henri Fournaye"</li><li><b>Daniel L. Friedman</b> — "Sir Leslie Oakshott"</li><li><b>Chuck Kovacic</b> — "Baker Street"</li><li><b>Stephen Chahn Lee</b> — "Alex MacDonald"</li><li><b>Danna A. Mancini</b> — "McMurdo"</li><li><b>Maxine H. Reneker</b> — "Lomax, the Sub-Librarian"</li><li><b>Olivia Rutigliano</b> —  "Lady Alicia Whittington"</li><li><div><b>Jessica Schilling</b> — "The Queen's Shilling" </div></li><li><div><b>Robert Sharfman</b> — "Killer Evans"</div></li><li><b>Liese Fabre</b> — "Mrs. Farintosh"</li><li><b>George Schwartz</b> — "The Alpha Inn"</li></ul></div><div><div><br /></div><div><b>Otto Penzler, BSI</b> ("The King of Bohemia") received the Two Shilling Award, for service above and beyond.</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We're pleased to note that five of the recipients above have appeared as interview guests on I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere. This doesn't mean that IHOSE confers shilling-worthiness on guests, but it does indicate our producers' good taste.</div><div><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" data-dashlane-frameid="9961" data-dashlane-rid="6cd9bf7809444fcd" data-form-type="other" height="192" mozallowfullscreen="true" msallowfullscreen="true" oallowfullscreen="true" scrolling="no" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/29105948/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/414851/time-start/00:00:00/playlist-height/200/direction/backward/download/yes/font-color/FFFFFF" style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="100%"></iframe></div><div><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" data-dashlane-frameid="10088" data-dashlane-rid="9d06a7ae07d9f1e9" data-form-type="other" height="192" mozallowfullscreen="true" msallowfullscreen="true" oallowfullscreen="true" scrolling="no" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/21783176/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/186935/time-start/00:00:00/playlist-height/200/direction/backward/download/yes/font-color/FFFFFF" style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="100%"></iframe></div><div><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" data-dashlane-frameid="10143" data-dashlane-rid="a7f9a36873682494" data-form-type="other" height="192" mozallowfullscreen="true" msallowfullscreen="true" oallowfullscreen="true" scrolling="no" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/27767196/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/c00505/time-start/00:00:00/playlist-height/200/direction/backward/download/yes/font-color/FFFFFF" style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="100%"></iframe></div><div><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" data-dashlane-frameid="9980" data-dashlane-rid="de50a5bd3058cd02" data-form-type="other" height="192" mozallowfullscreen="true" msallowfullscreen="true" oallowfullscreen="true" scrolling="no" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/25345944/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/767761/time-start/00:00:00/playlist-height/200/direction/backward/download/yes/font-color/FFFFFF" style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="100%"></iframe></div><div><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" data-dashlane-frameid="9984" data-dashlane-rid="f245978cd3412241" data-form-type="other" height="192" mozallowfullscreen="true" msallowfullscreen="true" oallowfullscreen="true" scrolling="no" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/4045502/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/6c081f/time-start/00:00:00/playlist-height/200/direction/backward/download/yes/font-color/FFFFFF" style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="100%"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>It is difficult to capture all of the activities of the BSI Weekend, due to so many small groups branching out to honor their own traditions, including named events such as ASH Wednesday, Lost in New York with a Bunch of Sherlockians, and the ASH Brunch. Not to mention other events like the Vendors Room, the BSI Reception.</div><div><br /></div><div>A comprehensive report of the events will be in the Spring issue of the <i><a href="https://ihose.co/BSJ" target="_blank">Baker Street Journal</a></i>. Check your subscription to make sure you're on the list!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>As ever, the game's afoot!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div></div></div>

The 2024 BSI Weekend – Awards and Honors

“a brief review of what had passed” [THOR]   Photo credit: Will Walsh   As chronicled in the latest episode of I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere...

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by Scott Monty

Baker Street Elementary – Opposites Attract

<h4 style="text-align: center;">“if you will be good enough to understudy me” [RETI] </h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKBxfHkioIrBg7_uGbv6ih60BE_v48YfqUYG8PAln4mY6Tz47zZ8KPtDf6e6K3n4evVSsfy0Edz-ttAGbQ1IIykR61vom_yrrPWkDIwia-pUAANcAew83YeQufdgVucJ5jUR5uq6Xm1NQxPKfCV3rrevI6O0gr7mnZkQ0FvyNwbHREQBf_8Gs4oi82E9Rj/s480/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20169.1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKBxfHkioIrBg7_uGbv6ih60BE_v48YfqUYG8PAln4mY6Tz47zZ8KPtDf6e6K3n4evVSsfy0Edz-ttAGbQ1IIykR61vom_yrrPWkDIwia-pUAANcAew83YeQufdgVucJ5jUR5uq6Xm1NQxPKfCV3rrevI6O0gr7mnZkQ0FvyNwbHREQBf_8Gs4oi82E9Rj/s16000/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20169.1.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">When Sherlock Holmes and John H. Watson first meet, thanks to the introduction via Stamford, they seem an odd pair — like two circles of a Venn diagram that just barely overlap. And yet this combination is exactly what was necessary to bring the many adventures of Sherlock Holmes to the world. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Had they been more alike, we wouldn't have experienced the wonder and awe with which Watson treated some of their interactions. Nor would we have instances of Holmes's ultimate disappointment when he sent Watson in his place during certain cases.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">For instance, in "<b>The Solitary Cyclist</b>," Watson returns from his observation of the cyclist, which was done at a considerable distance:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Mr. Sherlock Holmes listened with attention to the long report which I was able to present to him that evening, but it did not elicit that word of curt praise which I had hoped for and should have valued. On the contrary, his austere face was even more severe than usual as he commented upon the things that I had done and the things that I had not.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“Your hiding-place, my dear Watson, was very faulty... As it is you were some hundreds of yards away, and can tell me even less than Miss Smith... You really have done remarkably badly.”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“What should I have done?” I cried, with some heat.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“Gone to the nearest public-house. That is the centre of country gossip. They would have told you every name, from the master to the scullery-maid...Well, well, my dear sir, don’t look so depressed. We can do little more until next Saturday, and in the meantime I may make one or two inquiries myself.”</div></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div></div></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">In "<b>The Retired Colourman</b>," Holmes was finishing up his investigation of the two Coptic Patriarchs, so he sent Watson off to Lewisham as his "understudy." But we can't say Holmes wasn't prepared; he did so knowing that Watson didn't have the power of observation as him.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">He managed to outdo Watson on Watson's description of Josiah Amberley:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“Left shoe wrinkled, right one smooth.”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“I did not observe that.”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“No, you wouldn’t. I spotted his artificial limb. But proceed.”</div></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Watson was already disturbed at this kind of set-up in <b><i>The Hound of the Baskervilles</i></b>. But Holmes saves the day by reassuring Watson of his utility:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“Then you use me, and yet do not trust me!” I cried with some bitterness. “I think that I have deserved better at your hands, Holmes.”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">“My dear fellow, you have been invaluable to me in this as in many other cases, and I beg that you will forgive me if I have seemed to play a trick upon you.”</div></div></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This pairing works well, for as Holmes admits earlier in that same story: “Some people without possessing genius have a remarkable power of stimulating it.”  </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We're glad they were stimulated to be friends at Baker Street Elementary...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVQk1ZyG3quqzdII7QnXRR94Dd7vpigy5xpiuSrt7Z6lTWb21-nkQ3PlVYic9Kns6ZGzGUnrDIdhdTPZifXkbHX2WFbNhuoeK4bF94MXIgbgAgZyq3gYd26__CF_T1DZH6qCJKz3sLzuPKqZzxiQVufuBXol0hY5MWoqMfvNfSLNDkz7SRMZZ6cZBFJGMK/s480/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20169.2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVQk1ZyG3quqzdII7QnXRR94Dd7vpigy5xpiuSrt7Z6lTWb21-nkQ3PlVYic9Kns6ZGzGUnrDIdhdTPZifXkbHX2WFbNhuoeK4bF94MXIgbgAgZyq3gYd26__CF_T1DZH6qCJKz3sLzuPKqZzxiQVufuBXol0hY5MWoqMfvNfSLNDkz7SRMZZ6cZBFJGMK/s16000/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20169.2.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc3gItiAjKD_fv7U6IF8upKyXBksiitf1W9dhrobB-ZqfAe_n1F7me-SU77eQAxJruEfJJe4Hq9RAbwPRxqTuAVEpjHU8nh-CTQWr5lIlX7DCvBqoVmvYvLToQSed8_xPkUJIVRxgR1i8zrAAG9DBON0rFoD4kA8qVFwFAfi6cpVHsMLzHJhPoAgSmbaAB/s480/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20169.3.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc3gItiAjKD_fv7U6IF8upKyXBksiitf1W9dhrobB-ZqfAe_n1F7me-SU77eQAxJruEfJJe4Hq9RAbwPRxqTuAVEpjHU8nh-CTQWr5lIlX7DCvBqoVmvYvLToQSed8_xPkUJIVRxgR1i8zrAAG9DBON0rFoD4kA8qVFwFAfi6cpVHsMLzHJhPoAgSmbaAB/s16000/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20169.3.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibN8hl5s13V2qX-RtX9tC1xSGqQCE9AwlQIPhfkWrJEIPiXa-I2xDdciaNoSv96EDu6DfWoGB37bKxSP7fkXNzvXmF1d9eh-8MKp950etEGjXl5q3rvZ6UJJRy4SrSnxQJQ8W-yXUHrjMLnn64YtFyBGjKtNpgj43g3KhJNEGVRA1zAgyvOv7DTE64St7u/s480/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20169.4.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibN8hl5s13V2qX-RtX9tC1xSGqQCE9AwlQIPhfkWrJEIPiXa-I2xDdciaNoSv96EDu6DfWoGB37bKxSP7fkXNzvXmF1d9eh-8MKp950etEGjXl5q3rvZ6UJJRy4SrSnxQJQ8W-yXUHrjMLnn64YtFyBGjKtNpgj43g3KhJNEGVRA1zAgyvOv7DTE64St7u/s16000/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20169.4.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><i>Baker Street Elementary</i></b><span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"> follows the original adventures of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, as they and their friends work through the issues of elementary school in Victorian London. An archive of all previous episodes can be viewed at </span><a href="http://www.bakerstreetelementary.org/" style="background-color: white; color: #006f85; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; text-align: left;">www.bakerstreetelementary.org</a><span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">.</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span><span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGyHxoov2AdCNzI-sA382WHyzmCYKmU5vuVxxUUbwgmzd_zESpxNTWBoDo-0BOUVmZPf0EpIOXFT9y59il288HBvx1-_JJJXxHhZAn2orzWJPWbYZasKlLBplbQMHDaY9thgs_w1diI7ch/s1600/Baker+Street+Elementary.jpg" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGyHxoov2AdCNzI-sA382WHyzmCYKmU5vuVxxUUbwgmzd_zESpxNTWBoDo-0BOUVmZPf0EpIOXFT9y59il288HBvx1-_JJJXxHhZAn2orzWJPWbYZasKlLBplbQMHDaY9thgs_w1diI7ch/s640/Baker+Street+Elementary.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><br /></div></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>

Baker Street Elementary – Opposites Attract

“if you will be good enough to understudy me” [RETI]  When Sherlock Holmes and John H. Watson first meet, thanks to the introduction via Sta...

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by Scott Monty

Episode 280: BSI Weekend Recap

<h4 style="text-align: center;">“those week-end parties” [SOLI] </h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNLiv31AeZJ5dYAvInJiva6LQXffuVFA4F36fODGq_FLEoY6VxH0yJhvZQ2w8GcuvPH4k2R4I8SpR_B2UjEi4Wgu2Rggy759Yn-ME2ppLXkhk8Sgl9fLNh_CCi1s85HFJ9CPiSBPdTIfyBVVuhdsVyY6Avue47P3gYN_PqkSGqIWDDi6NXwMS-WIswBbLl/s1438/ihose280%20wide.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1078" data-original-width="1438" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNLiv31AeZJ5dYAvInJiva6LQXffuVFA4F36fODGq_FLEoY6VxH0yJhvZQ2w8GcuvPH4k2R4I8SpR_B2UjEi4Wgu2Rggy759Yn-ME2ppLXkhk8Sgl9fLNh_CCi1s85HFJ9CPiSBPdTIfyBVVuhdsVyY6Avue47P3gYN_PqkSGqIWDDi6NXwMS-WIswBbLl/w640-h480/ihose280%20wide.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><div><p>The Baker Street Irregulars just marked their 90th anniversary with the BSI Weekend, filled with events for Sherlockians of all kinds.</p><p>If you weren't able to make it to New York — or even if you were! — tune in to hear about some of the events, people, books, and more that were part of our experience. And plan ahead for other events in the year ahead. After all, it's meeting up with other kinsprits that make this little hobby so special.</p><p>Our first <b>Canonical Couplet</b> quiz of Season 18 is here, and that means it's your chance to participate and see if you can win yourself something from the IHOSE vaults or the BSI Weekend.</p><p>Send your answer to comment @ ihearofsherlock .com by January 29, 2024 at 11:59 a.m. EST. All listeners are eligible to play.</p><p><br /></p><p>If you become a <a href="https://ihose.co/ihosepatron" target="_blank">Patron of the Arts</a>, not only will you help to ensure we can keep doing what we do, covering file hosting costs, production, and transcription services, but we have thank-you gifts at certain tiers and ad-free versions of the episodes for all patrons.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a data-patreon-widget-type="become-patron-button" href="https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=2318606">Become a Patron!</a></p><div><div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><h3><a href="https://traffic.libsyn.com/ihearofsherlock/ihearofsherlock280.mp3" target="_blank">Download</a> [Save As] | File size: 72 MB, 52:29</h3><iframe allowfullscreen="" data-dashlane-frameid="3081" data-dashlane-rid="5d7e9891822f636a" data-form-type="" height="192" mozallowfullscreen="true" msallowfullscreen="true" oallowfullscreen="true" scrolling="no" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/29503978/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/414851/time-start/00:00:00/playlist-height/200/direction/backward/download/yes/font-color/FFFFFF" style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="100%"></iframe><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-wrap: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><br /></div><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-wrap: nowrap; word-break: normal;"></div><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-wrap: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><br /></div><h4 style="line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; word-break: normal;"><span style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://pod.link/ihearofsherlock" target="_blank">Listen to I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere anywhere</a></span></h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://pod.link/ihearofsherlock" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="232" data-original-width="639" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIyAfMy7WsxQV7D-7YxXoJ7uyOK4l3ZKzNMFZT0_e2g_3u8z2Gbtn4x3WQzTw0OqaSsP-k13-QHde9EnFgO3uzikjHmQ3rK2_0Xmvb_v6ggUV32CnZ2ZeqiSrAkGL0SUYMvr0JEiMJupjFvq8dQL8CuZqAWTTbMcYBZVV1NHgYP4X5XME7qekOhj2fZg/w400-h145/Pod%20Link.png" width="400" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div></div></div><h2 style="margin: 0px;">Sponsors</h2><div style="margin: 0px;"><ul><li><a href="https://mxpublishing.com" target="_blank">MX Publishing</a> regularly issues a <b>Thank Holmes It's Friday</b> newsletter, filled with first-to-know information and discounts for regular subscribers. Sign up today.</li></ul></div></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px;">Would you care to advertise with us? You can find <a href="https://www.ihearofsherlock.com/p/contact.html#.Vc1Qx7JViko" target="_blank">more information here</a>. Let's chat!<br /><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br /></div><h2><b>Links</b></h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><ul><li><a href="https://bakerstreetirregulars.com/bsi-weekend/" target="_blank">BSI Weekend</a></li><li><a href="https://mcsorleysoldalehouse.nyc/" target="_blank">McSorley's Old Ale House</a></li><li><a href="https://www.tessgerritsen.com/" target="_blank">Tess Gerritsen</a></li><li><a href="https://www.oysterbarny.com/" target="_blank">Grand Central Oyster Bar</a></li><li><a href="https://www.grolierclub.org/" target="_blank">The Grolier Club</a></li><li><a href="https://ihose.co/ihose245" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode 245: Sherlock Holmes and the British Empire</a></li><li><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/19f6HHMesVOmRKADQQIwJY_xkd-Y1Gciq/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Potter & Potter Catalog of Robert Hess and Roy Pilot's Collections</a></li><li>Find all of our relevant links and social accounts at <a href="http://linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock">linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock</a>.</li></ul><div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>And would you consider leaving us a rating and review? It would help other Sherlockians to find us.</div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px;">Your thoughts on the show? Leave a comment below, send us an email (comment AT ihearofsherlock DOT com), call us at 5-1895-221B-5. That's (518) 952-2125.</div><div style="font-family: "times new roman";"><div style="margin: 0px;"><br /></div></div><h3><br />Transcript</h3><div style="margin: 0px;">We are so grateful for our supporters <a href="http://patreon.com/ihearofsherlock" target="_blank">on Patreon</a>, who make our transcripts possible. Every amount helps.</div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a data-patreon-widget-type="become-patron-button" href="https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=2318606">Become a Patron!</a></div><script async="" src="https://c6.patreon.com/becomePatronButton.bundle.js"></script><p></p><div><p style="-x-system-font: none; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px;"><br /></p></div></div><p style="-x-system-font: none; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 14px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px;"><br /></p></div></div></div>

Episode 280: BSI Weekend Recap

“those week-end parties” [SOLI]  The Baker Street Irregulars just marked their 90th anniversary with the BSI Weekend, filled with events for...

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by Scott Monty

Happy 170th Birthday, Sherlock Holmes!

<h4 style="text-align: center;">“born to be a man of action” [HOUN]</h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8BtE0un1ZmFlwDnTZYQbiKz8iAil_Yq-CJmLMI9Rgac7J3Ye1nvz9PhxEY5F_o1PHJ_XhxCa94Z2VhifqCmIr95j1-RRomb_OibDuLNlr4O9QzJWiDSDmQcNx4whmHjWk8tRf2kyJpvVlswQ3VJn8kDRXdHaxtQBxYcxfEgpj4hyGGD4WMIA8axDC_A/s900/Sherlock%20Holmes%20birthday%20cake.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="900" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8BtE0un1ZmFlwDnTZYQbiKz8iAil_Yq-CJmLMI9Rgac7J3Ye1nvz9PhxEY5F_o1PHJ_XhxCa94Z2VhifqCmIr95j1-RRomb_OibDuLNlr4O9QzJWiDSDmQcNx4whmHjWk8tRf2kyJpvVlswQ3VJn8kDRXdHaxtQBxYcxfEgpj4hyGGD4WMIA8axDC_A/w640-h480/Sherlock%20Holmes%20birthday%20cake.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Today is January 6th — and that marks the date on which we traditionally celebrate Sherlock Holmes's birthday.<br /><br />We say "traditionally," because there is no definitive statement of his actual date of birth in the Canon, but beginning with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Morley">Christopher Morley</a>, the date of January 6th has become the de facto accepted date for Holmes' birthday. Why? Well, there are a couple of reasons.<br /><br />Of all of the quotes in the Canon, William Shakespeare was the most oft-quoted author. There is but one Shakespearean play that Holmes quotes twice: <i><a href="https://amzn.to/37GCVtA">Twelfth Night</a></i>. In <i>The Sign of the Four</i>, Holmes concludes, "All is well that ends well." This is from from Act IV, Scene 4. And in "The Empty House," Holmes states "'Journeys end in lovers meetings,' as the old play says," from Act II, Scene 3.<br /><br />The reason the date was chosen is that in Christianity, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_6">January 6th</a> is the Feast of the Epiphany, or officially the twelfth day of Christmas. I suppose if we were being truly technical about it, the twelfth night of Christmas would fall on January 5th...<br /><br />In addition, William S. Baring-Gould in his <a href="https://amzn.to/2QrZ4G3"><i>The Annotated Sherlock Holmes</i></a>, posited that because Holmes was a little cranky on the morning of January 7th — the date on which <i>The Valley of Fear</i> began — he had a hangover, induced by birthday celebrations the evening prior.<br /><div><br /></div><div>And why 170? Scholars have fixed the year of Sherlock Holmes's birth to 1854 by virtue of a line in "His Last Bow" when he was described as "a tall gaunt man of sixty."<span style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: "merriweather"; font-size: 21px;"><br /></span><br /><h3><span style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: "merriweather"; font-size: 21px;">Additional Thoughts</span></h3>In an episode of <a href="https://www.sherlockholmespodcast.com" target="_blank">Trifles</a>, our weekly show where we discuss some of the minutiae in the Sherlock Holmes stories, we cover this in greater detail, and with some additional research material. Do check it out on the podcast streaming service of your choice, the embedded file below, or at <a href="https://ihose.co/trifles210">ihose.co/trifles210</a>.</div><div> <br /><iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/960247957&color=%23947454&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true" width="100%"></iframe><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-wrap: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/sherlockholmes-trifles" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank" title="Sherlock Holmes: Trifles">Sherlock Holmes: Trifles</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/sherlockholmes-trifles/sherlock-holmess-birthday" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank" title="Sherlock Holmes's Birthday">Sherlock Holmes's Birthday</a></div><br /><br />And by all means, share the news that today is Sherlock Holmes's birthday. But whatever you do, don't try to throw him a surprise party. It's an exercise in futility.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" class="b-hbp-video b-uploaded" frameborder="0" height="371" id="BLOGGER-video-8c3d52ea1fda613d-15793" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxaXu58WlLdyZ98FlaKtLV19rBUdj3cS0Ch6xrT31IMPlSsvp63yhDZeex2_qB2GG8H12xorRJsZ4lyN-Gv4W9E47p3f4Iml7wNGrr5CPQf05UGBbyQFbwxyp1HprRcNdY_2U8V" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="447"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><br /></div><br />We hope you'll take a moment and wish Sherlock Holmes a happy birthday in your own way. If you'd like to join in here, please feel free to leave a birthday comment below.<br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>

Happy 170th Birthday, Sherlock Holmes!

“born to be a man of action” [HOUN] Today is January 6th — and that marks the date on which we traditionally celebrate Sherlock Holmes's...

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by Scott Monty

Watch the Wessex Cup Live

<h4 style="text-align: center;">“the favorite for the Wessex Cup” [SILV]  </h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWhA5tWobbyUdVJQFUpYZF2HkWh_eOBfUlQvs8I1WIO6o8AOxtpu0ijS_6-PXtRTELggLlfJyMUxnFrf1-EKVlwR-dJt1DFP5i53VWyz2bFB2usVN6w5Bb26moe7bIvNYJ_SJIklQz9c83-5GjhYCr5y-gyyQ0GOLo-3JE1xI1XEB65cxHI5lWBOyTMLV/s1325/Wessex%20Cup%20PinkUn%20header.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="994" data-original-width="1325" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWhA5tWobbyUdVJQFUpYZF2HkWh_eOBfUlQvs8I1WIO6o8AOxtpu0ijS_6-PXtRTELggLlfJyMUxnFrf1-EKVlwR-dJt1DFP5i53VWyz2bFB2usVN6w5Bb26moe7bIvNYJ_SJIklQz9c83-5GjhYCr5y-gyyQ0GOLo-3JE1xI1XEB65cxHI5lWBOyTMLV/w640-h480/Wessex%20Cup%20PinkUn%20header.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>One of the more whimsical events during the annual <a href="https://bakerstreetirregulars.com/bsi-weekend/" target="_blank">Baker Street Irregulars Weekend</a> is a recent addition: the running of the Wessex Cup. It's a horse race named after the iconic race that the eponymous missing horse was scheduled to run in "The Adventure of Silver Blaze."</p><p>Now, before you wonder where a horse race might be staged in Manhattan, let us spoil it by telling you the horses are not actual equines. In fact, they're toy wind-up horses with mini-figure jockeys, festooned with custom items made by Peggy McFarlane, BSI ("Violet Westbury").</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiydr0q8Ms8P9olAvXjv04O7aiRzsCMS_jVDPOX3G-wLyTziNHgbeRaVOilj9xewUpcuhk-JilDlszYj90uSCSppXPQO5qD2V8MtYI9x4crwAjwrySPzKv-nC3twm7k1dTPaNT25Got8v9ix1henO6CIQuReSKsQTRNpwVg4Bt0BNF5XMO7gHAOTvMGAe1p/s741/Wessex%20Cup%20Mavis.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="626" data-original-width="741" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiydr0q8Ms8P9olAvXjv04O7aiRzsCMS_jVDPOX3G-wLyTziNHgbeRaVOilj9xewUpcuhk-JilDlszYj90uSCSppXPQO5qD2V8MtYI9x4crwAjwrySPzKv-nC3twm7k1dTPaNT25Got8v9ix1henO6CIQuReSKsQTRNpwVg4Bt0BNF5XMO7gHAOTvMGAe1p/w640-h540/Wessex%20Cup%20Mavis.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Mavis, owned by Madeline Quiñones</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>And the action takes place on Thursday, January 11, 2024. Details below.</p><p>All of this is made possible under the auspices of the <a href="http://acdsociety.com/" target="_blank">ACD Society</a> and organized by Ross Davies, BSI ("The Temple"). Last month, interested parties were able to <a href="http://acdsociety.com/Cup/Stables2024.html" target="_blank">purchase a stable</a> and claim their place in the Wessex Cup. </p><p>For those present in New York City for the BSI Weekend, the race may be seen in person, hosted by Otto Penzler, BSI ("The King of Bohemia") at <a href="https://www.mysteriousbookshop.com/" target="_blank">The Mysterious Bookshop</a> — on January 11, 2024, starting at 11:15 a.m. sharp.</p><p>If you're not able to be there, the event will be carried live online. You can <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSct6N2LAvUdjLIuA3hGV8ORZKi4-b49_0Jym_ioLFLQI0n-bg/viewform" target="_blank">register to watch by filling out this form</a>.</p><p>The second annual running of the Wessex Cup is accompanied by the third annual <a href="http://acdsociety.com/Honors/Honors.html" target="_blank">Doylean Honors</a> to recognize exemplary contributions related to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in the categories of fiction and poetry, performing arts, scholarly writing, and visual arts.</p><p>It promises to be an exciting and fun event. Hope you can take part in whichever format works for you.</p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Related:</h3><p>Listen to our interview with Ross Davies, Cliff Goldsfarb, and Ashley Polasek on All Things ACD:</p><p><br /><iframe title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/18334391/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/414851/time-start/00:00:00/playlist-height/200/direction/backward/download/yes/font-color/FFFFFF" height="192" width="100%" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="" webkitallowfullscreen="true" mozallowfullscreen="true" oallowfullscreen="true" msallowfullscreen="true" style="border: none;" data-dashlane-rid="5c9ae66507d8b6b5" data-form-type="other" data-dashlane-frameid="4711"></iframe></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>

Watch the Wessex Cup Live

“the favorite for the Wessex Cup” [SILV]   One of the more whimsical events during the annual Baker Street Irregulars Weekend is a recent a...

+ Read more »

by Scott Monty

Baker Street Elementary – Tactical Communication

<h4 style="text-align: center;">“very wide and tactful” [MAZA] </h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja4kbcmD41JF1xIxh5A7FL6btBTO8AjV7k5GZtBFV1p2MweIYnYG27v7YsyfG42YXRZQh54yoCvDLhWranyAQgbmdHA8AsHZhAhQ6dY8L9vSemWo5BcQ64fOOcggKKgZ71DKzmPnZz48EBquakpynjyySjiyZO0cb2yADzw0qQnPlxVuCdKZccWoDRDC8g/s768/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20168.1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="768" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja4kbcmD41JF1xIxh5A7FL6btBTO8AjV7k5GZtBFV1p2MweIYnYG27v7YsyfG42YXRZQh54yoCvDLhWranyAQgbmdHA8AsHZhAhQ6dY8L9vSemWo5BcQ64fOOcggKKgZ71DKzmPnZz48EBquakpynjyySjiyZO0cb2yADzw0qQnPlxVuCdKZccWoDRDC8g/w640-h480/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20168.1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">All too often these days, we see modern interpretations that take his cold, calculating nature and turn it into something toxic, as if he didn't know how to tactfully talk with people. The BBC's <i>Sherlock</i> even refers to him as a sociopath.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">But the real Sherlock Holmes was not only tactful, but could put clients at ease with his words and his manner. Time and again, Watson refers to Holmes's ability to calm and soothe those in his presence:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>“Pray sit down, Mr. Scott Eccles,” said Holmes in a soothing voice [WIST]</li><li>“Quite so, madam,” said Holmes in his soothing way. [CARD]</li><li>He had an almost hypnotic power of soothing when he wished. [REDC]</li><li>“Patience! Patience, Mr. Garrideb!” said my friend in a soothing voice. [3GAR]</li><li>“You must not fear,” said he soothingly, bending forward and patting her forearm. “We shall soon set matters right, I have no doubt.” [SPEC]</li><li>Holmes pushed him down into the easy-chair and, sitting beside him, patted his hand and chatted with him in the easy, soothing tones which he knew so well how to employ. [BERY]</li><li>“There! there!” said Holmes, soothing, patting him upon the shoulder. [NAVA]</li></ul></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Imagine being a client and being nervous about your case. If having the world's greatest consulting detective on your side isn't enough, he makes sure you feel good about it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Let's just say his candor and demeanor have come a long way since Baker Street Elementary...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGuHPE-rLrbHXqDec65nh_WokLrAQZmP9f0Q34DPgYCB1v0s8NDkwE-kb-Afxg66CkiW5L7GA2iVEw0gR0aE4scIw3_jAe873Wd1FZQSh41B0-0jJOOyLibP0AHte05rDEfOBdu5eXbprCqRrUPQZ8g6Iv13xPWAg6wLLOSa_25_HDY6vWf3B3RCUSg_6p/s768/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20168.3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="768" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGuHPE-rLrbHXqDec65nh_WokLrAQZmP9f0Q34DPgYCB1v0s8NDkwE-kb-Afxg66CkiW5L7GA2iVEw0gR0aE4scIw3_jAe873Wd1FZQSh41B0-0jJOOyLibP0AHte05rDEfOBdu5eXbprCqRrUPQZ8g6Iv13xPWAg6wLLOSa_25_HDY6vWf3B3RCUSg_6p/w640-h480/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20168.3.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidj7SRIjIRcd17qA1z0aewHdmlcDN368HaSaNqkCSNEfHMKM_Ycgomd8Jk8nx1jfnxpAGD4-rpFFiSpR_A5zF_jLZRP2HtmxczPnyAq1jQOC0KKyWmExu944geAUraw1a9bOfU8bH2M-U4OLMpg0A3Wpfj6ifO-cnaEN59ClbWeNBFDDpesK4hmNW9Y0ip/s768/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20168.2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="768" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidj7SRIjIRcd17qA1z0aewHdmlcDN368HaSaNqkCSNEfHMKM_Ycgomd8Jk8nx1jfnxpAGD4-rpFFiSpR_A5zF_jLZRP2HtmxczPnyAq1jQOC0KKyWmExu944geAUraw1a9bOfU8bH2M-U4OLMpg0A3Wpfj6ifO-cnaEN59ClbWeNBFDDpesK4hmNW9Y0ip/w640-h480/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20168.2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFQe41_9hwaoj_hh1GVnTYG95vV-k3r3837bMD2Azpwnl0kV9OE4JBYVYGkRvrViEzq5UByjdf61V6DATWvbVv3ayp6rADROaKlL0utZ64psulcoCJgs6gLYQbMPJoo0CDVYj_6NRBfD9aYPydUgQG-pv8NfpyRENpcXiqx9DfFnLgt1HBqxzwpFbpi0R9/s768/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20168.4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="768" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFQe41_9hwaoj_hh1GVnTYG95vV-k3r3837bMD2Azpwnl0kV9OE4JBYVYGkRvrViEzq5UByjdf61V6DATWvbVv3ayp6rADROaKlL0utZ64psulcoCJgs6gLYQbMPJoo0CDVYj_6NRBfD9aYPydUgQG-pv8NfpyRENpcXiqx9DfFnLgt1HBqxzwpFbpi0R9/w640-h480/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20168.4.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjviQXgLWpKETzePGiFrPBgQ9EFIiuBEgerOkOOp_MTgus3jZVQGiduaDoFXy95dv2uhtvKDfFOsIZUrVopcDgp4NWN11f8n-cNHIlg-1ni7KzirrWNRo-GBW0J6rer1gl4xO58M9tUhzNHnDTAGesyy7sofUlHfdPqCQr9J4kEGn8lDhzPHWIrXu_MkSd7/s768/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20168.5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="768" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjviQXgLWpKETzePGiFrPBgQ9EFIiuBEgerOkOOp_MTgus3jZVQGiduaDoFXy95dv2uhtvKDfFOsIZUrVopcDgp4NWN11f8n-cNHIlg-1ni7KzirrWNRo-GBW0J6rer1gl4xO58M9tUhzNHnDTAGesyy7sofUlHfdPqCQr9J4kEGn8lDhzPHWIrXu_MkSd7/w640-h480/Baker%20Street%20Elementary%20168.5.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><i>Baker Street Elementary</i></b><span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"> follows the original adventures of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, as they and their friends work through the issues of elementary school in Victorian London. An archive of all previous episodes can be viewed at </span><a href="http://www.bakerstreetelementary.org/" style="background-color: white; color: #006f85; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; text-align: left;">www.bakerstreetelementary.org</a><span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">.</span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span><span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGyHxoov2AdCNzI-sA382WHyzmCYKmU5vuVxxUUbwgmzd_zESpxNTWBoDo-0BOUVmZPf0EpIOXFT9y59il288HBvx1-_JJJXxHhZAn2orzWJPWbYZasKlLBplbQMHDaY9thgs_w1diI7ch/s1600/Baker+Street+Elementary.jpg" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGyHxoov2AdCNzI-sA382WHyzmCYKmU5vuVxxUUbwgmzd_zESpxNTWBoDo-0BOUVmZPf0EpIOXFT9y59il288HBvx1-_JJJXxHhZAn2orzWJPWbYZasKlLBplbQMHDaY9thgs_w1diI7ch/s640/Baker+Street+Elementary.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><br /></div></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>

Baker Street Elementary – Tactical Communication

“very wide and tactful” [MAZA]  All too often these days, we see modern interpretations that take his cold, calculating nature and turn it i...

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by Scott Monty

Episode 279: The Classified Dossier of Sherlock Holmes

<h4 style="text-align: center;">“you have a good dossier there” [LAST] </h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHcMDcJV6MN-s3MrP3n2AK_F0YnBwVqwboxGqXAd7Hl6V3Lv4_JSYzeQrp6fdP67h4T6IyrAL3K-DqGLzzOmwVcr-BBTszsPQIn3BYN8OtN7LxCmpKghw6cI5DadzVXYZETrPjxV7kmO_ZJGhL74mccHLGEsZzEn2gh2ZQvY95fSklvs2vkg84KEj_3hyphenhyphen4/s3900/ihose279%20wide.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2879" data-original-width="3900" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHcMDcJV6MN-s3MrP3n2AK_F0YnBwVqwboxGqXAd7Hl6V3Lv4_JSYzeQrp6fdP67h4T6IyrAL3K-DqGLzzOmwVcr-BBTszsPQIn3BYN8OtN7LxCmpKghw6cI5DadzVXYZETrPjxV7kmO_ZJGhL74mccHLGEsZzEn2gh2ZQvY95fSklvs2vkg84KEj_3hyphenhyphen4/w640-h472/ihose279%20wide.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><div><p>There were supernatural elements in the original Sherlock Holmes stories. Elements of gothic intrigue like voodoo, a possible vampire, a family curse, and a spectral hound come to mind.</p><p>So when Christian Klaver looked at the intersection of his interests in sci-fi, fantasy, Sherlock Holmes, and writing, it was only natural to find some existing and contemporary examples and bring them to life. Thus was born <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3Rv6RS0" target="_blank">The Classified Dossier of Sherlock Holmes</a></i> series from Titan Books.</p><p>Christian shares stories of these passions with us, bringing us from his childhood inspiration to the Universal monsters, Cthulhu, and more. And we find ourselves back in 1890s London with Oscar Wilde and Conan Doyle for the third entry in the Dossier: <i><a href="https://amzn.to/47gNIco" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sherlock Holmes and Dorian Gray</a></i>.</p><p>We even got Christian to spill his plans for his next series of books, so you'll want to tune in to hear about that.</p><p>And if you are chosen as a winner of this <b>Canonical Couplet</b> quiz,  you'll get a copy of Christian's new book!</p><p>Send your answer to comment @ ihearofsherlock .com by January 14, 2024 at 11:59 a.m. EST. All listeners are eligible to play.</p><p><br /></p><p>If you become a <a href="https://ihose.co/ihosepatron" target="_blank">Patron of the Arts</a>, not only will you help to ensure we can keep doing what we do, covering file hosting costs, production, and transcription services, but we have thank-you gifts at certain tiers and ad-free versions of the episodes for all patrons.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a data-patreon-widget-type="become-patron-button" href="https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=2318606">Become a Patron!</a></p><div><div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><h3><a href="https://traffic.libsyn.com/ihearofsherlock/ihearofsherlock279.mp3" target="_blank">Download</a> [Save As] | File size: 71.7 MB, 52:15</h3><iframe allowfullscreen="" data-dashlane-frameid="7155" data-dashlane-rid="41c83100aa088420" data-form-type="other" height="192" mozallowfullscreen="true" msallowfullscreen="true" oallowfullscreen="true" scrolling="no" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/29283773/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/414851/time-start/00:00:00/playlist-height/200/direction/backward/download/yes/font-color/FFFFFF" style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="100%"></iframe><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-wrap: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><br /></div><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-wrap: nowrap; word-break: normal;"></div><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-wrap: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><br /></div><h4 style="line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; word-break: normal;"><span style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://pod.link/ihearofsherlock" target="_blank">Listen to I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere anywhere</a></span></h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://pod.link/ihearofsherlock" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="232" data-original-width="639" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIyAfMy7WsxQV7D-7YxXoJ7uyOK4l3ZKzNMFZT0_e2g_3u8z2Gbtn4x3WQzTw0OqaSsP-k13-QHde9EnFgO3uzikjHmQ3rK2_0Xmvb_v6ggUV32CnZ2ZeqiSrAkGL0SUYMvr0JEiMJupjFvq8dQL8CuZqAWTTbMcYBZVV1NHgYP4X5XME7qekOhj2fZg/w400-h145/Pod%20Link.png" width="400" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div></div></div><h2 style="margin: 0px;">Sponsors</h2><div style="margin: 0px;"><ul><li><a href="https://www.wessexpress.com/" target="_blank">Wessex Press</a><a href="https://www.wessexpress.com/" target="_blank">/Gasogene Books</a> is the premier publisher of books about Sherlock Holmes and Arthur Conan Doyle.</li><li>Get your <a href="https://mxpublishing.com/products/2024-page-a-day-sherlock-holmes-calendar" target="_blank">Page A Day Sherlock Holmes Calendar</a> for 2024, available exclusively at MX Publishing. Listeners can use code <b>IHOSECAL </b>for a $5 discount.</li></ul></div></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px;">Would you care to advertise with us? You can find <a href="https://www.ihearofsherlock.com/p/contact.html#.Vc1Qx7JViko" target="_blank">more information here</a>. Let's chat!<br /><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br /></div><h2><b>Links</b></h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><ul><li><i><a href="https://amzn.to/47gNIco" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sherlock Holmes and Dorian Gray</a></i></li><li><i><a href="https://amzn.to/41N0Gxr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sherlock Holmes and Mr. Hyde</a></i></li><li><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3vaVFT1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sherlock Holmes and Count Dracula</a></i></li><li><a href="https://christianklaver.com/" target="_blank">Christian Klaver's website</a></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Find all of our relevant links and social accounts at <a href="http://linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock">linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock</a>.</div><div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>And would you consider leaving us a rating and review? It would help other Sherlockians to find us.</div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px;">Your thoughts on the show? Leave a comment below, send us an email (comment AT ihearofsherlock DOT com), call us at 5-1895-221B-5. That's (518) 952-2125.</div><div style="font-family: "times new roman";"><div style="margin: 0px;"><br /></div></div><h3><br />Transcript</h3><div style="margin: 0px;">We are so grateful for our supporters <a href="http://patreon.com/ihearofsherlock" target="_blank">on Patreon</a>, who make our transcripts possible. Every amount helps.</div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a data-patreon-widget-type="become-patron-button" href="https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=2318606">Become a Patron!</a></div><script async="" src="https://c6.patreon.com/becomePatronButton.bundle.js"></script><p></p><div><p style="-x-system-font: none; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px;"><br /></p></div></div><p style="-x-system-font: none; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 14px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px;"><br /></p></div></div></div>

Episode 279: The Classified Dossier of Sherlock Holmes

“you have a good dossier there” [LAST]  There were supernatural elements in the original Sherlock Holmes stories. Elements of gothic intrigu...

+ Read more »

by Scott Monty

Special Episode: A Christmas Story Without Slush

<h4 style="text-align: center;">“I’ve read enough of the slush” [VALL] </h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKOHtXtwOogbq4npFcCTDFLCX5r3-RGKP3AGKBcvoZZopGB4pBKRvLuFQBg8b5f_ybYFEBp1zwO7mYkno2ngM_yZTd6TtVvHn5FPJKzL_g9FRPRZPKsku-lgXWqEIVYRrDYkCMNwTDnOnOLdIABTfpsv2IH2pFbaGX2okGBXWUdOssG8HvvHzLoUnDZcFL/s1000/BLUE.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKOHtXtwOogbq4npFcCTDFLCX5r3-RGKP3AGKBcvoZZopGB4pBKRvLuFQBg8b5f_ybYFEBp1zwO7mYkno2ngM_yZTd6TtVvHn5FPJKzL_g9FRPRZPKsku-lgXWqEIVYRrDYkCMNwTDnOnOLdIABTfpsv2IH2pFbaGX2okGBXWUdOssG8HvvHzLoUnDZcFL/w640-h360/BLUE.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><div><p>Following our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/7L-9qnjkPK4" target="_blank">recent appearance on Sherlock Mondays</a>, we revisited Christopher Morley's wonderful introduction to the Baker Street Irregulars' edition of "The Blue Carbuncle" from 1948.</p><p>For our Patreon supporters (and our PayPal supporters here) we have Burt's full reading of Morley's essay, followed by commentary and discussion with Scott afterward.</p><p>You can hear a sample here:</p><div><div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><h3><a href="https://traffic.libsyn.com/ihearofsherlock/ihearofsherlock-xmas2023-sample.mp3" target="_blank">Download</a> [Save As] | File size: 13.4 MB, 9:46</h3><iframe allowfullscreen="" data-dashlane-frameid="9467" data-dashlane-rid="10caae9c53986668" data-form-type="other" height="192" mozallowfullscreen="true" msallowfullscreen="true" oallowfullscreen="true" scrolling="no" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/29228268/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/32527c/time-start/00:00:00/playlist-height/200/direction/backward/download/yes/font-color/FFFFFF" style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="100%"></iframe><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-wrap: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><br /></div><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-wrap: nowrap; word-break: normal;"></div><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-wrap: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><br /></div><div style="line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-overflow: ellipsis; word-break: normal;">You can listen to the full version if you're <a href="https://www.patreon.com/posts/special-episode-95299833?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link" target="_blank">a regular Patreon supporter</a> for as little as $1 a month. Or if you'd prefer to <a href="https://www.patreon.com/ihearofsherlock/shop/christmas-story-without-slush-90373?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=productshare_creator&utm_content=join_link" target="_blank">purchase this single episode</a>, it is available <a href="https://www.patreon.com/ihearofsherlock/shop/christmas-story-without-slush-90373?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=productshare_creator&utm_content=join_link" target="_blank">at this link</a>.</div><h4 style="line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; word-break: normal;"><br /></h4></div></div></div><div>Find all of our relevant links and social accounts at <a href="http://linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock">linktr.ee/ihearofsherlock</a>.</div><div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><p style="-x-system-font: none; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 14px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px;"><br /></p></div></div></div>

Special Episode: A Christmas Story Without Slush

“I’ve read enough of the slush” [VALL]  Following our recent appearance on Sherlock Mondays , we revisited Christopher Morley's wonderfu...

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by Scott Monty

The Adventure of the Fur-Trimmed Hat

<h3 style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"> "all tell the same story of this dreadful <span class="highlight">apparition" [HOUN] <br /></span></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0YlALh-20EBmFVyCDIUXotW-4YWq2DYQA5eSnVYOmG1C6_ClNB8Fe72ndqpMJL0nm_PSH-zJs8dNWcMXZcNQN7zPGD2ozTkCMs0dhAkVUfJue56ytrDCKgoI2HrOJt1Gz6htptGnb0wMxZ-IwnrHHQsajxkPZ1nroicvoAYlsciLh8k_Em_fw3hnbnC01/s340/SH_BLUE-0122.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="292" data-original-width="340" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0YlALh-20EBmFVyCDIUXotW-4YWq2DYQA5eSnVYOmG1C6_ClNB8Fe72ndqpMJL0nm_PSH-zJs8dNWcMXZcNQN7zPGD2ozTkCMs0dhAkVUfJue56ytrDCKgoI2HrOJt1Gz6htptGnb0wMxZ-IwnrHHQsajxkPZ1nroicvoAYlsciLh8k_Em_fw3hnbnC01/w407-h350/SH_BLUE-0122.PNG" width="407" /></a></div><br /> <div>[<i><b>Editor's note:</b> the following is a parody for the holiday season, submitted by James C. O'Leary</i>] <br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;">I had called upon my friend Sherlock Holmes on Christmas Eve, with the intention of wishing him the compliments of the season. He was lounging upon the sofa in a chartreuse dressing-gown, the day’s newspapers well-studied and his black briar emitting a curl of blue smoke in the ashtray. Beside the couch was a straight-backed chair, and on the stile hung a seedy and disreputable fur-trimmed stocking hat, much the worse for wear. A lens and a forceps lying upon the seat of the chair suggested that the hat had been hung with care for the purpose of examination.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"You are engaged," said I, "perhaps I interrupt you." </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"Not at all. I am glad to have a friend with whom I can discuss my results. The matter is a perfectly trivial one" (he motioned his thumb with a jerk in the direction of the cone-shaped covering), "but there are points in connection with it which are not entirely devoid of interest, and even of instruction." </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I seated myself in his armchair, and accepted the glass of heated eggnog Holmes offered, for the day had been still and cold and now that night had fallen, it was colder still. "I suppose," I remarked after a sip of the landlady’s concoction and the warm glow that started to radiate from within, "that, homely as it is, this thing has some deadly story linked to it--- that it is the clue which will guide you in the solution of some profound mystery, and the punishment of some malefactor." </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"No, no. No crime," said Sherlock Holmes, laughing. "Only one of those whimsical little incidents which will happen when you have four and a half million human beings cheek-by-jowl within the space of a few square miles. Amid the action and reaction of so dense a swarm of humanity, every possible combination of events may be expected to take place, and many a little problem will be presented which may be striking and bizarre without being criminal. You know Peterson, the commissionaire?" </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"Yes." </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"It is to him that this trophy belongs." </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"It is his hat." </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"No, no; he found it. Its owner is unknown. I beg that you will look upon it, not as a tattered tupplue, but as a conical conundrum. Your arrival is fortuitous as Peterson is downstairs with Mrs. Hudson getting a cup of tea and I as yet have listened to his story. We shall listen to it together. In the meantime let us see what we can deduce of the owner.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"From his hat?" </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"Precisely." </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"But you are joking. What can you gather from this old battered bonnet?" </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"Here is my lens. You know my methods. What can you gather yourself as to the individuality of the man who has worn this article?"</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I took the harried headgear in my hands, and turned it over rather ruefully. It was a red triangular plush cap with a white fur pom-pom at the point, and white fur trim around the base. The lining had been of red silk, but was a good deal sweat stained. There was no maker's name, at least as far as I could tell, but sewn in once-golden thread were strange linear <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">hiero</span>glyphics. It was pierced in the inner brim for a hat-securer, but the elastic was missing. For the rest, it was exceedingly dusty, and spotted in several places, although there seemed to have been some attempt to hide the discolored patches by daubing them with red ink.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"I can see nothing," said I, handing it back to my friend. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"On the contrary, Watson; how many fingers am I holding up?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“Three.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“Your eyesight is fine. You fail, however, to apply reason from what you see."</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"Then pray, tell me,” I replied with some asperity, “what it is that you can infer from this hat?"</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">He gazed at it in the peculiar introspective fashion which was characteristic of him when he took on the air of a disappointed tutor lecturing a particularly dense pupil. "It is perhaps less suggestive than it might have been," remarked Holmes, "and yet there are a few inferences which represent at least a 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, although he has now fallen upon evil days. He had foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing to a moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably elves, at work upon him.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“Elves!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“This may account also for the obvious fact that his wife has ceased to love him,” he continued, disregarding my remonstrance. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He has, however, retained some degree of self-respect. He is a man who leads a sedentary life, goes out little, perhaps just once a year, is middle-aged, has grizzled hair which he has had cut within the last few days, and which he anoints with rather expensive avocado-cream. These are the more patent facts which are to be deduced from his blushing bucket. Also, by the way, that it is extremely improbable that he has gas laid on in his house, no doubt because he lives on an isolated farm raising reindeer."</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“Surely, you’re joking!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“You know I detest that nickname. I don’t even allow my brother Mycroft to call me that.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“No, no; I meant you are certainly not serious.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“Ah. I’m quite serious, my dear fellow.”<br /> <br /> "How did you deduce that this man was intellectual?"<br /> <br /> For an answer, Holmes slipped the linty lid upon his head. The fur brim passed over the forehead and settled upon the bridge of his nose. "It is a question of cubic capacity," said he; "a man with so large a brain must have something in it."<br /> <br /> "The decline of his fortunes, then?"<br /> <br /> "This hat is old. These type of plush fur-lined hats have long been out of fashion. It is a hat of the very best quality. Look at the fur, and the excellent lining. If this man could afford to buy so expensive a hat. and has had no hat since, then he has assuredly gone down in the world."<br /> <br /> "Well, that is clear enough, certainly. But how about the foresight, and the moral retrogression?"<br /> <br /> "Here is the foresight." said he, putting his finger upon the little disc and loop of the hat-securer. "They are never solid upon hats. If this man ordered one, it is a sign of a certain amount of foresight, since he went out of his way to take this precaution against the wind. But since we see that he has broken the elastic, and has not troubled to replace it, it is obvious that he has less foresight now than formerly, which is a distinct proof of a weakening nature. On the other hand, he has endeavored to conceal some of these stains upon the plush by daubing them with red ink, which is a sign that he has not entirely lost his self-respect. The further points, that he is middle-aged, that his hair is grizzled, that it has been recently cut, and that he uses avocado-cream, are all to be gathered from a close examination of the lower part of the lining. The lens discloses a large number of hair-ends, clean cut by the scissors of the barber. They all appear to be adhesive, and there is a distinct odor of avocado-cream, which is rare in this part of the world and speaks of a wanton self-indulgence and further evidence of moral regression. This dust, you will observe, is not the gritty, gray dust of the street nor the dirt of the country, but the fluffy brown dust of the house, showing that it has been hung up indoors most of the time; while the marks of moisture upon the inside are proof positive that the wearer perspired very freely, and could, therefore, hardly be in the best of training."<br /> <br /> "But his wife - you said that she had ceased to love him."<br /> <br /> "This hat has not been brushed for months, perhaps a whole year. When I see you, my dear Watson, with a year's accumulation of dust upon your hat, and when your wife allows you to go out in such a state, I shall fear that you also have been unfortunate enough to lose your wife's affection, if not your wife herself." <br /> <br /> "You have an answer to everything. But how on earth do you deduce that the gas is not laid on in the house?"<br /> <br /> "One tallow stain, or even two, might come by chance; but, when I see no less than five, I think that there can be little doubt that the individual must be brought into frequent contact with burning tallow - walks upstairs at night probably with his topper in one hand and a guttering candle in the other. Anyhow, he never got tallow stains from a gas jet."</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“But elves?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“I am familiar with over thirty types of European writing systems. These markings sewn into the lining are Tomte runes, peculiar to an especially short Scandinavian race locals refer to as ‘elves’. Our friend the hat owner is not a Tomte himself as seen by the hat size but must have a deep association with them to adapt their writing. They are a happy but short-tempered race, given to much mischief. Loyal if treated well, but pranksters and thieves if crossed. Long association with them could again lead to moral retrogression.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“And the reindeer farming?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“There are several indications. One: this type of hat is still fashionable in northern climes. Two: the white fun, unless I am very much mistaken, is polar bear, again an indication the wear resides up north. Three: the Tomte live in Scandinavia and nowhere else. Four: there are reindeer hair on the outside of the hat. As the author of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Study of Ungulates and Ruminants and Their Association with Criminal Actives, Illustrated with Forty Color Plates</i> I was able to identify the fur quite easily. It seems then highly probable our mysterious friend is a reindeer farmer.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Footsteps sounded on the stair and after a knock on the door Peterson the commissionaire entered. He greeted us cordially and at Holmes’ urging began his tale.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“I had an important commission this evening, but because it was Christmas Eve, the cabbie decided not to wait for me. The streets were fairly deserted and there was not another cab to be found so I started to walk back home while keeping my eyes peeled for transportation. I was walking down Bartholomew Lane---“</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Holmes sat up straight on the sofa. “You were in the City?” </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“Yes sir. Quiet as a tomb.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“Go on”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“Well, it was dusk and not a soul to be seen. I reached the corner when I suddenly heard the jingling of bells and out of the sky dropped this funny hat, right at my feet. It’s not quite a bobble or a toque and it had this queer sort of writing inside and I thought that if anyone could make sense of this happening and maybe return the hat to its owner, it’s Mr. Holmes.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“What else.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“Sir?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“What else did you find, Peterson?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The commissionaire’s cheeks flushed. We knew Peterson to be an honest man and his reaction was one of embarrassment, not guilt. “We-ell,” he stammered, “after I picked up the hat and looked at it and took a step onto the way of going home, this piece of paper fluttered out of the sky right into my hand. I thought it was…a reward – in advance, like, for getting the hat back to its owner…’</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“A reward?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“You know, for doing a good deed…from…” Here Peterson looked up at the ceiling. He reached into his pocket and then held out his hand. There in his palm was a clean, crisp five-pound note. Holmes took up his lens and the note and examined it under the lamp and even held it under his nose briefly. When he turned back to us his manner was still <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">phle</span>gmatic but there was a most singular intentness in his eyes that told me he had chanced upon some clue of importance. Holmes went over to his desk. “I propose an exchange, Peterson, this fiver for yours. It’s not quite as new, but it will spend the same and I guarantee it has the same amount of luck as yours.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Peterson took the note with some reluctance. Holmes turned back to his desk and scribbled out a message, handing it to the commissionaire along with some coins. “Please go to the telegraph office and send this before you go home. And,” he said placing a hand on the man’s shoulder, “I can assure you this felt-and-fur Phrygian will find its home ere long.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">As soon as the door close, Holmes tore off his dressing gown and headed to the wardrobe in his room, all the while speaking. “What a blind beetle I’ve been! You remember that pretty little problem of Helen Stoner’s at Stoke Moran? At first all the clues pointed to the gypsies but once on the scene it became obvious it was that group of plasterers hired by her nefarious step-father.” Readers of these somewhat incoherent series of memoirs will recall “The Adventure of the Spackled Band”. “Well, my deductions about that hirsute headgear were perfectly reasonable, logical and entirely wrong, all because I lacked two facts.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“The five-pound note?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“And the location.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“Bartholomew Lane?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“The corner of Bartholomew Lane and Threadneedle Street.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">A dark and sinister notion started forming in my mind. Holmes came out of his room and tossed me a pistol while checking to see that his was loaded. “Be a good fellow and hail us cab, eh, Watson?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The horse’s hooves beat out a swift tattoo as our hansom headed to the City. “I believe you suspect Peterson’s fiver was a forgery.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“You positively scintillate tonight, Watson.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“So the hat is part of a disguise.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“For over one hundred and thirty years Jules-Thomas and Sons has been operating out of the same building in the West End providing costumes and property for theater companies and acting troupes. Like many immigrants to our shores, they anglicized their name from the original Scandinavian Jultomten.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“Jultomten<span style="font-size: medium; mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">—</span></span>Tomte?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“Exactly so, Watson. The Jules-Thomases are descended from that Scandinavian race locally known as elves and even today their scion are exceedingly short people. Early in the company’s history, the family name was sewn into their costumes</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">—</span></span><span style="font-size: 16px;">”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“I</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">n Tomte runes.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“Watson, your eyesight improves by the moment! We can now look at our muffed mantle in a new light. It was manufactured well over a century ago of the best materials and meant to be durable. It was designed to fit all heads so was made on the larger side, so it could accommodate wigs. There is also the well-known factor of actors possessing larger crania than the general population. To save costs, it is repaired frequently, such as the touch-ups of red ink. As there is usually strenuous action on stage during the course of a production, that would account for the hat-securer and the sweat stains. As there is not much call for this type of hat except during the holiday season, there would naturally be a many-months accumulation of dust in the storage area located in the oldest part of the building where gas has yet to be laid. The dust tells us one other thing; professionals like Jules-Thomas would not allow a costume to go out in such a condition. Therefore, it must have been stolen.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“The freshly-cut grizzled hair then must belong to the thief.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“Bravo, Watson! I see that marriage has not staled your infinite variety.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Cabbie, stop here.” We were let off at Cheapside and Queen Victoria Street and, being as inconspicuous as possible on the deserted streets, made our way to the “Grey Lady of Threadneedle Street”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Bank of England, the financial heart of the Empire stood dark, silent and imposing in the light of the gibbous moon. The air was still and our breath shot out in front of us like smoke from a pistol shot. We made our way along the bank’s façade on Princes Street where Holmes found a rope ladder almost invisible in the shadows. We climbed to the first level roof and surveyed the five story wall that stretched above our heads to the top of the building. Here the cunningness of the rope-ladder’s design was made clear as even in the bright moonlight it was practically invisible to the eye and from the street below would be non-existent.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">With Holmes in the lead we ascended the wall in the bracing winter night air, up past the sloping shingles of the top floor to the narrow, relatively flat roof.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>There, not far from us, silhouetted against the sky were a group of two-legged reindeer gathered around a skylight. They spoke in whispers with their backs to us, antlers bobbing in the cold. Nearby appeared to be a large sledge piled high with packages. Holmes took out his revolver and I followed suit. We crept to within a few feet of the costumed men then Holmes stood and in a quiet voice said, “Gentlemen, do not move.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">His voice rang out like cannon fire in the hushed darkness, seemingly turning the men to statues. Holmes edged closer to the skylight. “My friend here is known as the Deadly Doctor, so pray, be still,” he said <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sotto voce</i> as he peered down in the stygian depths.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>I took pride in Holmes’ complement of my marksmanship until the sniggering of one of the men reminded me of its possible double meaning. The cocking of my hammer shut him up.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Presently, a shuffling sound emanated from within the building and up rose from the black hole a head of long white hair, then a face surrounded by a full white beard. One red-mittened hand held the rope ladder attached to the skylight, the other a bag slung over a shoulder. Holmes clapped his gun to the man’s head. “Up and out slowly, if you please. That’s good. Now place the sack down. Right. Watson, you’ve heard me speak of this gentleman, but I don’t believe you’ve had the pleasure of meeting him. Doctor John Watson, Professor James Moriarty.” Holmes had pocketed his gun, grabbed the hair in one hand and the beard in the other and yanked away. There stood the former mathematics professor, his bald pate fringed with grizzled hair gleamed in the moonlight, his sunken eyes glaring with malevolence at the detective. “A masterful performance, Professor, although your costume is sadly incomplete.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Comprehension broke on his features as the whole chain of events that led to his capture became clear. “The hat! If it wasn’t for that damned freak gust of wind--- “ Those were his first and last words of the evening as he clamped his mouth shut and refused to speak further.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Then from out in the street there arose such a clatter. “Watson,” said Holmes, his gun now back out and trained on Moriarty, “take that gentleman there” (he indicated one of the reindeer who would appear to be most at home at Newgate) “over to the ledge and have him report what he sees.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I motioned the brute over and he peered down. “There’s a great lot of Black Marias, a fire brigade and a whole lot of coppers.” I motioned the man back to his herd.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“That will be Inspector Bradstreet, the Yard, the City Police and the ladder engine. I am afraid your brilliant plan of stealing the actual five-pound note plates” (here he tapped the sack with his foot) “and substituting counterfeit plates to cause the financial collapse of the Empire is for naught, Professor.” City and Metropolitan Police swarmed to the roof and soon the two professional law groups were fighting over who would make the arrest and who would claim credit in the papers. Eventually, the criminals were led away and the lawmen cleared the roof leaving Holmes and I alone at the scene.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Holmes examined the “sledge”, which was a balsa cutout ingeniously constructed to fold into a small, portable square for easy transport, yet from the street or the window of a neighboring building would appear to be substantial. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“There is always a touch of the extravagant to Moriarty’s schemes. To create a tableau of Father Christmas visiting the Bank of England just to discredit any possible witnesses…” He shook his head. “Hum. I wonder…”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“What is it, Holmes?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“Peterson said he heard bells, then the cherry chapeau landed at his feet, yet neither Moriarty nor his ‘reindeer’ were wearing bells, and this cutout certainly doesn’t have any. Where did the sound come from?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Then above the distant sound of London there was the faint jingling of bells, which grew louder, then a voice from above said, “Good night, Mister Sherlock Holmes. Ho, ho, ho.” We both turned skywards and there across the waxing moon appeared four pairs of reindeer drawing a sledge driven by a rotund bearded jolly man who waved at us. As we watched, the apparition turned to the north and rapidly disappeared clean out of sight.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I do not know how long we stood there transfixed but finally I whispered my companion’s name. That broke the spell. Holmes snapped, “Watson, you know my maxim that when you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth. As it is impossible for reindeer to fly, the only vehicle able to lift such a sledge is a hot-air balloon, which was not in evidence, and further, a hot-air balloon could not achieve such speeds as witnessed, there can be only one probability for our <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">folie à deux</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">; Mrs. Hudson spiked our eggnog with absinthe!</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">“However, as this is the season of forgiveness, we shall not reprimand her, or mention it to her, or,” he turned to me and spoke in a steely voice, “mention this incident to anyone, ever!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Holmes strode the roof edge and the rope ladder, then stopped and stared thoughtfully at that spot in the northern sky where the apparition vanished and where now faintly glowed a star.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">“You know, Watson,” he spoke slowly as a clock chimed midnight, “I am not one to celebrate holidays, but if I were to wish for a present, I can think of no better one than to be with my old comrade-in-arms, back in action and on the thrill of the chase, putting the most dangerous criminal in London behind bars. Complements of the season.” He stuck out his hand.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">“Complements of the season, Holmes.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">We clasped hands and shook.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arno Pro",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arno Pro",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUDO_41etLUQ920R1cEW7cb2_T96TvRBBRxG7wsywIAqBY7XL3FMuOXsOeEef944jCVqicHfcmE0wO8qE7yz1fEtgQe_7UtlrPMpR6do4ZQCpIWWRMMZ6vvsLalq949EESY-eQV682NWlVc886HFcYTw_YDRu-1jNomedV-wl0sgh3-cPr38IUvR0ib16D/s1396/gahan%2002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1372" data-original-width="1396" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUDO_41etLUQ920R1cEW7cb2_T96TvRBBRxG7wsywIAqBY7XL3FMuOXsOeEef944jCVqicHfcmE0wO8qE7yz1fEtgQe_7UtlrPMpR6do4ZQCpIWWRMMZ6vvsLalq949EESY-eQV682NWlVc886HFcYTw_YDRu-1jNomedV-wl0sgh3-cPr38IUvR0ib16D/w405-h398/gahan%2002.jpg" width="405" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: "Arno Pro",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /> </span><p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For inspiration, I’d like to thank John Foster of the Sherlock Holmes Society of St. Charles and Gahan Wilson. —JCO’L</span><span style="font-family: Arno Pro, serif;"><b></b></span></span></i></p> </div>

The Adventure of the Fur-Trimmed Hat

 "all tell the same story of this dreadful apparition" [HOUN]    [ Editor's note: the following is a parody for the holiday s...

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by James C. O'Leary