The Strand Magazine, Vol. 27, February 1904, No. 159.

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

47642

Title

The Strand Magazine, Vol. 27, February 1904, No. 159.

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

This February 1904 issue of The Strand Magazine features the thrilling return of Sherlock Holmes to solve the abduction of the Duke of Holdernesse's son. Alongside the detective fiction, readers find a charming retrospective on Victorian fashion, bizarre photographic curiosities, and practical advice on effective advertising.

Summary up to 500 words

The February 1904 issue of The Strand Magazine opens with a dramatic return to the world of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in 'The Adventure of the Priory School.' Dr. Thorneycroft Huxtable, the founder of the prestigious Priory School near Mackleton, urgently summons the duo to investigate the mysterious disappearance of ten-year-old Lord Saltire and his German master, Heidegger. Both vanished from their second-floor rooms on the night of May 13th, utilizing an ivy plant to descend to the ground. While their beds were slept in, their bicycles were missing, and no visitors had called on the boy prior to his flight. The case carries immense weight, involving the Duke of Holdernesse, whose only son and heir has fled, potentially influenced by sympathies for his mother residing in France. Despite a false lead involving a couple spotted in Liverpool, Holmes and Watson travel north to uncover the truth behind the Duke's family secrets and the fugitives' connection. Beyond the thrilling detective narrative, the issue offers a humorous retrospective in 'Our Grandmothers' Fashion-Plates.' This article contrasts the scanty, diaphanous styles of 1804–1865 with the modern attire of 1904. It features illustrations of bonnets, crinolines, and seaside costumes, noting how early 19th-century dresses were often transparent and accompanied by gigantic bonnets and muffs, while later decades saw the rise of the hoop and crinoline. The text humorously suggests that the English girl of 1904 holds the best sartorial bargain of all time. The magazine also presents 'The Willing Scape-Goat,' a story by S. B. Robinson about Jack Selden, a young man facing a gambling debt of two hundred pounds. Jack's fiancée, Madge, and her new suitor, Cyril Wayne, are present at his breakfast when the debt is revealed. Cyril feigns a similar financial crisis to test Jack's character, setting the stage for a moral dilemma regarding loyalty and integrity. Finally, the 'Curiosities' section showcases a collection of fascinating photographs contributed by readers. These include a wild duck falling head-first after being shot, a fox stuck in a poultry house after entering through a small aperture, and a house in St. Charles, Minnesota, that was moved half a mile by a cyclone. Other wonders include an oyster shell that thickened significantly after lying in a tea-kettle for seven years, a stone found inside a tree trunk, and a primitive railway station in the United Kingdom constructed from a boat turned on its side.

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Categories

• Short Stories
• English Literature