EDITOR'S WALLET.

Otago Witness, Volume 11, Issue 2159, 11 July 1895, Page 49

EDITOR'S WALLET.

Dr Conan Doyle's Dilemma.

A curious story went tb.B round in the United States about Dr Doyle's cxi c iences when he went to Morristowi), New Jersey, on the occasion of his recent vUit to read ftom his works He «ccepted sn invitation to dine with a prominent resident, where he was to meet wttb other Well-known story ttllers, but arrived late. Then a strange thing happened. He would not on any account join the party at the table, but asked for roast beef and potatoes which he could eakin his own room. Aud this programme was carried out. Such was the story. The explanation as now given at lerjgth iv one of the American papers is that when he finally reached his host's home he found that he would have time enough only to eat a hurried dinner and run for the lecture hall where he was to read. But, throwing up bis dresi-suit case, ha discovered that he had no dress coat. "Beads of cold perspiration burst foith upon the author's forehead, and in a frenzy he ransacked the case ag*in and ag&io, tuxniog it upside down and inside out, but in vain. " Then he sank into a chair and recalled stories of other Englishmen wbo had come to this country, and who had deliberately hi3ulted their hosts by appealing ab receptions and dinners clad in ordiuary street gatb. The suit he had on consisted of grey trousers and blue sorge coat and waUtcoat. There was no time for explanation. He could not Ho by fcigniDg I illness, aud he could not go to the table arrajed in the sac co&t. Almost desperate, he sent a message to hiß host that he was unable to be at the- dinner, and the food was carried to bis room. " But what was he to do when he met his audience ? He believed that if ha went on the platform minus a dress coat his audience would feel resulted, and his last condition was likely to be worse than his first. Suddenly, however, the imagination of Sherlock Holmci came to his relief. He pulled out his pocket-koife and cut all the buttons from his sac coat, and pinned back the lapels ; and when he did face bis audience, later, they were some distance from the platform, and -supposed be was wearing a Tuxedo co&t. And thus the difficulty of a very awkward situation was got over."