Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-03-08

. IHE1 hfALAsn ~ 4 AAA- AN@AhArAtNA@ E%NNN>-
THE PERSON OF MR.. MERLE.
own house, but directed the driver tC
take them to the residence Of
wealthy Hebrew friend, hoping that
this friend would in some mysterious
way understand his dilemma and enter
tain his guests.
The perpleXed man dare not 20 home,
for be had not said a word 70 his wife
about any visitors. 1t was too late
when the note came. He dared not
then face her anger. She is woman
who has no patience with eccentrlcltleS
which she regards as ineXcuSable, and
she has spared neither words no broomS
20 cure them.
II was about 10 o'clock when the car
rage 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 S0reiy
puzzled 10 receive a call from the law
yer with strange lady at that time OF
night. All sat down in the parlor, and
no opportunity offered for Mr.. Merle 10
tell Mr. Hart what he wanted.
IL would take considerable magma
tion 10 represent Mrs. Brice'S state OF
mind during this time. Her headache.
resulting from an empty stomach and
deprivation Of cup of tea, was increaS-
ling. 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 70 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 un-
usual More than all, she began to won
/ der at her husbands absence. But she
said nothing about this.
/ In the meanwhile Mr.. Hart was cud'
Ceiling his brain to find out the reason
l for the strange visit. Had he known
/ that he was desired 10 be the host OF
this illuStriouS pair his hospitality
wonld have been profuSely offered. As
I il was he could only take part in a gen
eral conversation, and wait for his &C.
centric caller TO turn something up.
Prof. Bryce had been called out OF
/ the hotel parlor for an interview with a
/ chivalrouS member Of the Louisville bar,
who wished 10 entertain him. The
caller feared that the reputation of the
city for hospitality might suffer, and 50
/ he urged Prof. Bryce TO 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 10 the
room where he had left his wife There
are three very large parlorS in the Calf
house. He was quite sure that he had
left her in the first, but not finding hel
there. he passed through the second
into the third i'm time 10 see pair busy
with the American method of cOurtShiI
/ fly apart as he approached. The his
torian of The American Common
wealth" paused q moment to con
slider the energetic, whOle-Souled
pork and beans way in which
even the young conducted their
/ love affairs. Everything in this coun'
try seemed rapid, nervous, volatile. He
began 70 wonder If his wife had evap
Grated He stepped into the hall and
waited. but she did not appear; then he
\ ~AL QUN II III Al4f HNAA A0A ANNAAAE NAsN NAA
she had left for some necessary reason
and would soon return. twenty-five
minutes passed without bringing TO hin
the companion Of his Joys.
Prof Bryce is man possessed of q
mind eminently calm and historical
He waited patiently although his sou
was racked with downright English anC
roast beef hunger; and. ESau like, he
would have sold for mess Of pottagC
almost all his earthly possessions with
the exception Of Mrs. Bryce.
Finally he went TO the office anC
caused inquiries TO be made, but no one
knew what had become of her. HC
thought Of everything from hypnotiSu
90 Indians. Gen. MileSS red men were
certainly on the war path, and English
men had always looked on Kentucky a
"A wild. scary state.
Whether these thoughts paSSeC
through Prof. Bryce'S mind, perhaps
no one will ever know. 1t is certain
that after waiting nearly an hour h'
looked i'm the directory for Mr.. Merle
address. then hired a carriage and drOv'
20 his residence. Mrs. Merle and he
son. a young physician, were at home
The historian asked where her huSban,
was and received the startling repl,
that his whereabouts were unknown
that he had not been home since sup
per.
Can you tell me whether he was ex
pecting a man by the name of Bryce u
visit him to-night?" he asked.
NO" replied Mrs. Merle, "he sal,
nothing 70 me about any visitors.
Then you have no idea Of where
would be likely 70 find him?'
None
Mrs. Merle made up her mind by thi
time that there was something in tn
wind. and she piled the historian witt
such shrewd questions that she soon Oh
tanned something OF an idea Of how mat
ters stood, although she had not tn
fainteSt suspicion that her eccentric hus
band had taken Mrs. Bryce 10 III
Harris.
Mrs. Merle insisted that the prOfeSSo
should stay until her husband returned
AT the same time she felt a little mOrti
fed 10 think that he might be so fright
ened as not TO put in an appearance
that night, but she told the profeSSo
that she would De glad TO entertain
him. He waited some time and thel
thought il best 10 return to the hote,
The young physician accompanied him
As fortune happened, Mr. Merle an,
Mrs. Bryce reached the hotel Al tn
same time IL was then very nearl.
twelve o'clock.
The separated pair were oyerioyed u
find each other, although Mrs. Bryce
was oearly blind with headache
When ,he young physician, who in SOM
respects does not resemble his father
learned this, be insisted on prescribing
for her She thanked him. but did no
tell him that all the medicine She need
ed was q cup Of tea and crust O.
bread
The chiyalrouS member of the bar,