Conan Doyle's Dilemna
Conan Doyle's Dilemna is an article published in The St. Louis Republic on 12 february 1905.
Joseph M. Stoddart, the editor of the Lippincott's Magazine, tells an amusing story about Arthur Conan Doyle and his shirt button.
Conan Doyle's Dilemna
(12 february 1905, p. 6)
Joseph M. Stoddart, the veteran magazine editor, tells an amusing story of Conan Doyle. Says he: "I had been in Europe for several months combining pleasure and business. I determined before sailing homeward to get a story from Conan Doyle for my magazine.
"As he lived out of London, I invited him to dine with me — in fact to be the guest of honor among several literary notables, one of whom I remember was Oscar Wilde.
"On the day appointed I met Doyle and conveyed him to my hotel. After seeing that he was comfortable, I left him to rest until dinner. The hour arrived; with it, my guests, all except Doyle, the guest of honor, who was late. Fifteen minutes passed; no sign of him.
"The others were becoming restless; so, excusing myself, I went to investigate. I entered his room, and there he sat abject. His clothes were lying about everywhere; his eyes were wild; his hair disheveled.
"'For Heaven's sake man, what's wrong?' I exclaimed, aghast.
"'The button, the button, back one, the back button!" he gasped limply.
"He had torn the button off the back of his shirt band. In a jiffy I hustled him and his necessary belongings across the hallway to my room. In a trice I had summoned the chambermaid, to whom I said a few words. Off she flew, then back again, with needle and thread. While she sewed on the missing button, the author stared at me with all the helplessness of an Englishman, marveling in an amazed way at my acumen.
"Between myself and the maid, Doyle quickly was made fit. Dinner was late; but we had one of those glorious times that often come after much tribulation."
