The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1880-11-12
4 Man with a Mermaid.
THE STRANGE CREArI' RE HALF WOMAN AND
HALE FISH, NOW IN ST. LOUIS,

From tie 81. LOuis GiJ5c D,mOcrGt
Mr. Charles A. Doyle is n san Fran
ciscan. lately returned from Japan. lie
is registered mt the Lindcll Hotel from
Yokohama. and IN addition to the in
tcrest that attaches to him, owing TO the
strange country he halls from, he enjoys
the further distinction of being known
'as the man with a mermaid. \ Globe
Us"orrW reportcrl learned yesterday that
Mr.. Doyle not only enjoys the dlsDinc-
ton mentioned, but really is the possess
Ct of n genuine mermaid The reporter
hunted up Mr.. Doyle and had pleasant
chat with him He had been in Japan
for several years and was greatly inter
cstcd in the many modeuiZing influences
at work in the Orient. Mr.. Doyle, who
is an art critic and collector, went into
rapturcs over the mcmcs, of Japan'S
art products, and this is just what was
expected from him. and he is here with a
large quantity of rare Japanese articIcs,as
curious rs they are costly.
But these lost all interest to the rcpor-
ter when a long deep glass case, in the
shape of an aquarium, was exhibited;
which held the most curious and rareSt
of all the objects in the collection. 1t
was wonderful looking thing almost
hidiouS to look upon, but possessing n
powerful attraction for the beholdcr.
owing to the queer amalgamation of
species displayed initS formation. Those
who have seen the old-time geography
lustration, which has recently been used
rs Il trade mark fora certain patent hair
restorative and which represents the
mermaid raising from the sea and comb
irg her long locks with one hand while
in the other she holds a small looking
glass. can recall this picture and thereby
form an idea of what the present mon
,trosijy looks like, barring however, the
beauty which i, distinguishing trait of
the ideal mermaid. Mr.. Doylc's strange
curiosity i. half human, half fish. The
| head chest. abdomen and arms are un-
mistakabln human, but from the arms
down the creature is fish scaly, tiuy,
and formed like the cNtrymcticS of a
lwricr in the water. The arms are
covered with scales to the wrist, and the
backs of the small. hands have the same
scaly covering to the finger tips, Tho
head is small as that of baby but j,
perfect in every detail the forehead
does not rcccde. but is high and strai
and is of q class that indicates an umsu
al degree of intelligence. The eyes ar,
soft. swimmy and lightless, as those of ;
fish, but the mouth the ears, the nose
and in fact all the other features, ar,
pronounced human, regular, clear cut
and as perfect as Il beautiful woman
face. \ liglt covering of brown hair
several inches in length, and eye brow
Of the same color are the only hirsut
appcndagc.
The Sliual column is clearly seen run
ming up to the base of the skull and fall
inc down II e Lack IN il t is lost in tn
fi,hy extremity. Ten ribs are caSil
counted upon the breast, and the mann
malim development for feeding til
young is readily disccrniblc, The myi
maid measures almost three frcct fror
the crown of the head to the cNtrcmit
of the caudal fin, and is said to be large
than any other specimen of the kind cl
cr seen in this country The other mel
maid is now on exhibition in the NcN
York Aquarium, and attracts va
r amount of attention from scientists q
well rs from the general public.
, Mr. Doyle is very proud Of his me
maid, and, although a great many Il
tcmpts have been made to induce him t
t sell the curious creature, he has thus f;
refused to part with her He says ii
, monStroSity has been subjected to II
] closest scrutiny by scientists of the +
e ciIic slope, all of whom have prouounc,
t. her the most wonderful natural phpnum