Sherlockians can take comfort in the immortal words of Vincent Starrett. No matter what the year on the calendar, the “game” goes on and the Muse goes out to its subscribers. And once again, we (Muse co-editors Susan Diamond and Marilynne McKay) take great pleasure in recognizing and thanking everyone who contributed to the past four issues.

The past year has not been an easy one for New Yorkers, and we are most grateful to Evelyn Herzog and the New York based production team, who ensured that the Muse went out on schedule. Evy manages the subscription list, coordinates the printing, proofreads each issue, and handles the mailing with the assistance of New York Adventuresses who gather quarterly to label and stuff envelopes. Of course, a little something choice in wines might be imbibed at that time, thus ensuring the Canonicity of the process.

www.ASH-NYC.com

Thanks to Muse graphics editor Marilynne McKay, ASH now has its own splendid website: www.ASH-NYC.com has ASH history, all of the birthday flyers and competition entries, memorable events in our history, links to other Sherlockian and Victorian sites, and (thanks to computer consultant Ron Hosek) a password-protected members-only section with the (updatable!) ASH Directory. If you haven’t yet checked it out, do so. We think you’ll be delighted.

New Adventuress

One new Adventuress joined our ranks during the past year. June Kinnee is now known as Conductor of Light. One of the founders of The Curious Collectors of Baker Street and a Baker Street Irregular (Miss Hatty Doran), the peripatetic June is well known to just about anyone who attends any Sherlockian conference anywhere. She also is the world’s premiere raffle ticket salesperson for the Watson Fund — just ask any attendee of the New York Birthday Weekend!

Adventuress Accomplishments

ASH receiving honors during the past year included Mary Campbell (BSI, Brenda Tregennis), Susan Dahlinger (one of two recipients of the True Davidson Award for best formal paper presented at a Bootmakers of Toronto meeting), Francine Kitts (the Baskerville Bash’s Hugo Award), Marilynne McKay (BSI, Violet de Merville), and last, but far from least, Susan Rice (the BSI’s Two Shilling Award).

Adventuress authors included Paula Cohen (Gramercy Park, her first novel, received a rave review in the Muse from Susan Rice and was a selection of several book clubs) and Susan Diamond (Seventeen Steps to Slimness: A Sherlockian Guide to Dieting). Susan Vizoskie edited and published writings about the London Society cruise and toasts from the Three Garridebs. On the visual side, Adventuress Maribeau Briggs, in conjunction with long-time ASH friend Paul Singleton, produced “A Hound It Was…”— a compilation of film clips from the various cinematic versions of HOUN.

We mourned Gertrude Mahoney, ASH (Elsie Cubitt), who died this spring. Her good friends, Marina Stajic and Martha Irish, shared reminiscences of Gertrude with Muse readers. Long-time Muse readers will also remember enjoying Gertrude’s witty verses in our early issues.

The Muse has always been a mix of the light-hearted and the erudite, and the past year was no exception. Susan Rice, our authority on all things Starrett, provided a fascinating look at the great man’s columns for the Chicago Tribune. In “The H Particle,” Alexian Gregory joined the writers speculating on Watson’s middle name and presented a strong case for — yes, Habakuk! And consulting cartoonist Stu Shiffman answered the question “Who Wants to Marry an English Lord?” Of course, Watson is often maligned for his inaccuracies, but in “Speculation on the Speckled,” Judith Freeman sprang to his defense, proving that the animals whose authenticity is most often in question — the geese with barred tails, the cheetah, the baboon, and the swamp adder — all did exist.

Not surprisingly, Canonical women also fascinated our authors. While showing us how Irene Adler dressed as a youth was able to slip by Holmes, Laurie Fraser Manifold also provided a fascinating look at make-up in the Victorian era. Lynn Walker meditated on Emilia Lucca and the value of education. Finally Marilynne McKay assumed the persona of Isadora Klein in a monologue about la Belle Epoque originally presented at the Spring Dinner.

The cinema continues to attract Sherlockians. In a slightly different take on the “Casting the Canon” concept, Julie McKuras cast all of the recent Oscar winners in Canonical parts and then, through a piece of remarkable deduction, linked them all to Kevin — no, not Bacon — Spacey. The WelcomeHolmes internet group chose to cast CROO with Helena Bonham Carter in a featured part as Teddy the mongoose!

This year’s Spring Dinner yielded an exceptional collection of toasts. The always-imaginative Joe Fink honored Irene Adler by proving that she, unlike Holmes, had never been “laid by the heels.” Francine Kitts showed us how Neville St. Clair’s daughter would have blown his cover, had not Holmes done it first. And Philip Shreffler paid his respects to “women who are never entirely to be trusted.” In a musical interlude, Elyse Locurto and Paul Singleton turned “How about You?” into a summer STOC classic.

Of course, toasts take place throughout the year at scion gatherings, and this year’s Muse had a stellar collection. Warren Randall toasted Watson, Doyle, and the Montague Street Lodgers at a gathering of — duh, the Lodgers, of course. Sandy Kozinn’s toast to Irene speculated on the proper pronunciation of the name, while at the Baskerville Bash, she told everyone how she made a mutt of herself over a “toast to the hound.” Judith Freeman honored her own ASH investiture — Lady Beatrice Falder — in a toast originally given at the 2001 Spring Dinner. And in what might be the most unusual toast topic of the year, Sue Vizoskie asked the Cliffdwellers to raise their glasses to “Mrs. Hudson’s silver-plated coffee-pot.”

Not only do Adventuresses love to travel, but we love to tell others about our travels. Eight of us were on board for the Sherlock Holmes Society of London’s Jubilee cruise with Muse editors Marilynne McKay and Susan Diamond reporting all the details and Marilynne handling the photography.

Julie McKuras chronicled all the “doings” at the Footprints of the Hound conference in Toronto, while Francine Kitts shared a magical moment at Meiringen — where else would a Sherlockian couple go to celebrate their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary? Finally, Allan Devitt reported on the antics at the Baskerville “Bash-In” last January.

Dorothy Belle Pollack continued to enchant Muse readers with her light and witty verse. This past year she reprimanded the Cunninghams for their lack of attention to detail and turned her own attention to Mycroft’s dominant mind and his equally dominant derrière.

Chicago Sherlockian Jim Goehmann made his first appearance in the Muse with a poetic explanation of Moriarty’s fall into the Falls. Norman Davis, husband of Linda Crane, gave us a delightful update in verse on their new address.

Laurie Fraser Manifold’s poem “The Most Evil Woman in the Canon” was the winning entry in the Birthday Challenge 2002. Sandy Kozinn (2001 winner), Warren Randall, and Barbara Roden were runners-up. Honorable mentions went to Don Izban, Dayna McCausland, Julie McKuras, and Sue Vizoskie.

For those of you unfamiliar with the concept, the rules are simple. Each January 6th (Holmes' birthday) we provide an essay topic. There is typically a one-month window of opportunity between the announcement of the topic and the deadline for receipt of entries. The contest is open only to Muse subscribers. Of course, you may subscribe at the same time you enter. By entering the contest, you give the Muse permission to publish your work. No entries will be returned, and Muse editorial staff and their families are not eligible.

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