Henry Baker's Christmas

I had called upon my friend Sherlock Holmes the second morning after Christmas, with the intention of wishing him the compliments of the season. -- "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle" 

On this Blue Carbuncle Day, and every Blue Carbuncle Day, I wonder about Henry Baker.

Everybody else in "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle" had this story got a wonderful after-Christmas present. But Henry Baker? We're not so sure. Consider:

Peterson, the commissionaire, got a fat Christmas goose.

The Countess of Morcar got her gem back.

James Ryder got away with grand theft.

John Horner undoubtedly would be cleared, according to Holmes.

Sherlock Holmes got the pleasure of an interesting case.

And Dr. Watson got the pleasure of hunting with Holmes once again.

But of Mr. Henry Baker we hear no more once he has received his replacement goose and ceased to be a factor in his case. Did he live happily ever after with Mrs. Henry Baker?

Holmes deduced that the original goose was a peace-offering to Mrs. B. For what offense? We don't know. But it doesn't take a Sherlock Holmes to deduce the involvement of alcohol, of which the formerly foresighted Henry was too fond.

Let us hope that the undoubtedly long-suffering wife accepted the goose in the contrite spirit in which it was intended, restoring harmony to the Baker household. After all, it was Christmas.