Destry Rides Again

Phineas G. Nanson is fed up with studying theoryhe wants to do something more concrete. One of his tutors introduces him to the biography of Sir Elmer Bole by Scholes Destry-Scholeslittle known, but a masterpiece of its field. So enthused is Phineas by Scholes’s passion, and by his obscure life and death, that he decides to embark on a biography of his own. Scholes Destry-Scholes is to be his subject.
Phineas goes to Pontefract to see where Scholes was brought up. A disappointing experience, since he really learns nothing about Scholes the man, and staring at his house all day just makes the woman who lives there think that he’s a stalker. But then someone finally replies to Phineas’s ad in the TLS, and he has a bit more luck tracking down correspondence between Scholes and his publisher. Three documents are brought to light, and a chest full of Scholes’ things (including underwear and marbles), are opened for Phineas’s inspection. The three documents are