45914 Dr Mortimer drew a folded newspaper out of his pocket.
45915 'Now, Mr Holmes, we will give you something a little more recent.
45916 This is the Devon County Chronicle of June 14th of this year.
45917 It is a short account of the facts elicited at the death of Sir Charles Baskerville which occurred a few days before that date.'
45918 My friend leaned a little forward and his expression became intent.
45919 Our visitor readjusted his glasses and began:
45920 'The recent sudden death of Sir Charles Baskerville, whose name has been mentioned as the probable Liberal candidate for Mid-Devon at the next election, has cast a gloom over the county.
45921 Though Sir Charles had resided at Baskerville Hall for a comparatively short period his amiability of character and extreme, generosity had won the affection and respect of all who had been brought into contact with him.
45922 In these days of nouveaux riches it is refreshing to find a case where the scion of an old county family which has fallen upon evil days is able to make his own fortune and to bring it back with him to restore the fallen grandeur of his line.
45923 Sir Charles, as is well known, made large sums of money in South African speculation.
45924 More wise than those who go on until the wheel turns against them, he realized his gains and returned to England with them.
45925 It is only two years since he took up his residence at Baskerville Hall, and it is common talk how large were those schemes of reconstruction and improvement which have been interrupted by his death.
45926 Being himself childless, it was his openly expressed desire that the whole countryside should, within his own lifetime, profit by his good fortune, and many will have personal reasons for bewailing his untimely end.
45927 His generous donations to local and county charities have been frequently chronicled in these columns.