Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-03-13

THEY EEHgID IN rnY roADIIKg YOU'RE
THE PERSON OF Mn MERLE.
own home, but directed the driver to
take them TO the residence OF wealthy
Hebrew friend, hoping that this friend
would in some mysterious way under
stand his dilemma and entertain his
guests.
The perplexed man dare not 60 home.
for he had not said word to his wife
about any visitors. 1t was too late
when the note came. He dared not then
face her anger. She is O woman who
has no patience with eccentricities
which she regards as incxcusable, and
she has spared neither words nor brooms
70 cure them.
II was about ten o'clock when the car
riagc stopped and Mr.. Merle took Mrs.
Bryce into the house of his friend. Its
occupant, Mr.. Hart, came to the door
in his dressing gown and was sorely
puzzled TO receive a call from the law
yer with a strange lady at that time of
night. All sat down In the parlor, and
no opportunity offered for Mr.. Merle to
tell Mr.. Hart what was wanted.
1t would take considerable magma
ton TO represent Mrs. Bryce's state Of
mind during this time. Her headache.
resulting from an empty stomach and
deprivation of cup of tea, was in
creasing. OF course she thought she
was in Mrs. Merle's own house, and she
was wondering why she was not asked
to lay aside her things and why Mrs.
Merle did not come in to welcome her.
But the wife of the historian was
lady of such perfect breeding that there
was nothing in her behavior to indicate
that she thought the proceedings at all
unusual. More ttan all, she began to
wonder at her husbands absence. But
she said nothing about this.
In the meanwhile Mr.. Hart was
cudgeling his brain TO find out the rea-
son for the strange visit. Had he known
that he was desired to be the host of
this illustrious pair, his hospitality
would have been profusely offered. AS
il was, he could only take part in gen.
eral conversation, and walt for his &C.
centric caller to turn something up.
Prof. Bryce had been called out Of the
hotel parlor for an interview with
chivalrous member of the Louisville
bar, who wished 70 entertain him. The
caller feared that the reputation of the
city for hospitality might suffer, and so
he urged Prof. Bryce 10 come with Mrs.
Bryce and stay at his home. This offer
was refused for fear that Mr.. Merle
would be offended.
Prof Bryce, after warmly thanking
his would-be host, hurried back to the
room where he had left his wife. There
are three very large parlors in the Calf
house. he was quits sure that he had
left her in the first, but not finding
her there. he passod through the
second into the third in time TO
see pair busy w.th the American
method of courtship fly apart as he
approached. The historian Of "Ihe
American Commonwealth" paused
moment TO consider the energetic,
wholesouled. porlS-and-beans way in
which even the young conducted their
love affairs Everything in this coun-
try seemed rapid, nervous. volatile. He
began to wonder II his wife had evap-
GRATED. He step; FL into the hall and
waited, but sha did not appear; then he
sat down in tho parlor feeling sure that
she had left for some necessary reason
and would soon return. twenty-five
minutes passed without bringing TO him
the companion of his Joys
Prof. Bryce ia n man possessed OF
mind emiDcutly calm and historical.
lie waited patiently although his soul
was rsckcd with downright English
and roast beef hunger; and. Esau Ike,
he would have sold for mess OF pot
tave almost all his earthly possessions
with the exception of Mrs. Bryce.
Finally he went 10 the Office and
caused inquiries 20 be made. but no one
knew what had become Of her. He
thought Of everything from hvpnotism
q Indians Gen. Miles red men were
certainly on the war path. and English
men had always Looked on Kentucky az
a yild. scary state.
whether these thoughts passed
through Prof. Brvee's mind. perhaps
no one will ever know. II il certain
tnfF sINFE FHtttuE - Afg'A AN
looked IN The directory for Mr.. Meriee
address. then hired carriav- and drove
- his residence. Mrs. Merle and her
son. a young physician. were az homo.
The historian asked where her husband
wa. and received The startling reply
that his whereabouts were unknown.
ths. he had not ben home since sup
per
Can vru tel u,e whether be vss ex-
pec.in~ man BY The name II Bryce ~
visit him tonight he asked
No replied Mr. Merle, he ssid
nothing - me- about sny visitors.~
Teen ron have 40 idea 81 where I
woald b- likely - fad him.
Sen~
Mrs. Marie r,ef- ND k~r nfni by this
.irae that thers wss sounetbins N the
% sn.s and she pied The historian ~ith
s,seh s.ar~T-i ce@stsons that she so>n OBJ