The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-11
an ECCENTRIC SAVANT.
Tho Sorry Out He Made Of Entertain-
ing Professor and Mrs.
Bryce.
= Distressing but Temporary
separation Of the Historian
and Wife.
This Disting uishsd Foreigner Secures Mat.
ter fer Commsnt-Mr. Merie's Jour
a8 . to Make Apology.

ter fer Commercials. Merie,s Jour
ney to Make Apology.
Especial Correspondence Of TIE I~NDrrENpEN I.
LOUISVILLE, KY, March '2.-Prof. Jane
Rryce, the distinguished historian
met with a strange adventure during hi
recent visit to Louisville. There are onl
two people outside Of the actual personne
Of the farce comedy in which tho professo
and his wife were unwilling participants
who know anything about it, and tho secre
has been carefully guarded.
In this city there lives a man who il
paragon OF eccentricity. He is a LAWYER
but 80 good q fellow that We refrain from
giving his name to the public. Let us cal
him Mr.. Merle, therefore, because, like tn,
name of Rozinante, IL is sonorous and full
Of meaning. 1S.
There is probably not q man in the coun-
try who possesses a greater stock of miscel.
laneous information than Mr.. Merle, but
he is especially noted for his absent-mind-
edness. He often forgets such little thinoe
~ whether he has put on a collar, eaten his
dinner, or ordered anything from the gro
When Prof. James Bryce's great work on
the American Commonwealth appeared.
Merle was delighted with it. He wrote 20
the author commencing il, and at the same
time pointing out q few minor errors. This
letter led to considerable friendly CORE
spondence between him and Prof. Bryce,
The latter thought his correspondent a very
great man, ms indeed he ia.
IN the course OF time the illustrious his
torlan visited this country, and was shown
great honor. His wife, a highly cultivated
English lady came, with him, and she was
IN her praises Of American hospitality.
scholars were not slow to show their appre-
ciatlon of one OF the greatest Of English
historians.
When he reached this country there was
more correspondence between him and MIR.
Merle. Professor Bryce wiote that he
should pass through Cincinnati on his way
south, to study the negro question. The
eccentric lawyer Immediately wrote him q
pressing Invitation to come by way of Louis
vile II be his guest, and the historian
wrote. accepting the invitation for himself
ana his wife. The morning they arrived in
C~inclnnatl, that there might be no mistake,
they teleRraphed the lawyer that they would
reach louisville on a certain evening train,
Mr.. Merle was in high glee on receiving
this dispatch. He showed it with great
pride to several lawyers. They smiled in
wardly, and some of them feared lest the
eccentric genius might be careless about
some OF the finer points of entertainment,
and thereby cause a cloud to rest on the
reputation of K~entuckians for hospitality.
A kentuckian is nothing if not hospitable.
" happened while Mr.. Merle was in the
midst OF his rejoicing over the prospect of
entertaining Professor Bryce that he was
consulted on an important case. He thrust
the telegram one side, forgetting all about
it. RITZ ~" ~ -
II Was some time after dark when the
train bearing MIR. and Mrs. Bryce drew into
Louisville. They stepped into the waiting
roon, but they found no one to meet them.
They inquired of the b%ystanders1 if Mr.,
Merle had been seen. and learned that be
nao not. After waiting some twenty min
utes they went to the Gait House and sent
found. 49,
The trip had been a rough one in over
heated cars. Mrs. Bryce's head was aching
badly in consequence. and she wished auns
per very much, or a. least a cup of tea. But
their notions of politeness forbade them
casting any slight upon their entertainer by
partaking of hospitality other than his
own. They had not long to wait, for the
snort HefreW speedily answered the note
person. lie appeared somewhat trou-
bled, but greeted his guests warmly.
AT TINS moment some one who had
that Professor Bryce was in the no.
tel parlors had him called out for a few
Nh. Merle, after chatting awhile
with Mrs. Bryce, followed, and, not finding
The historian, returned and proposed to her
that they should Immediately go. Think
lng that he had seen her husband and made
arrangements with him, she went out. en-
tered a carriage and was driven away with
aer host.
Mr.. Merle was in a quandary, and he
took eccentric means to extricate
He did not go to his own home,
'ut directed the driver to take them to the
of a wealthy Hebrew friend, hop
ng that this friend would in some mys-
erious way understand his dilemma and
his guests.
The perplexed man dare not 90 home for
10 had not said a wo:d to his wife about
visitors. 1t was too late when the note
He dared not then face her anger.
The is a woman who has no patience with
ccentricities which she regards as inexcus-
bic, and she has spared neither words nor
rooms to cure them.
1t was about 10 O'Clock when the carriage
and Mr.. Merle took Mrs, Bryce
nto the house of his friend. It's occupant.
III. Hart, came to the door in his dressing
" and was sorely puzzled to receive q
all from the lawyer with a strange lady At
hat time OF night. All sat down in the
arlor and no opportunity offered for MI.
ierle to tell Mr.. Hart what WAS wanted.
1t would take considerable imagination
, represent Mrs. Bryce's state of mind
uring this time. Her headache resultinu
rom an empty stomach and deprivation Of
cup of tea, was increasing. OF course
he thought she was in Mr.. MerIe's own
ouse n she was wondering why she was
OF asked to lay aside her things, and why
[rs. Merle did not come in to welcome her '
ut the wife of the historian was a lady of =
lch perfect breeding that there was moth
in her behavior to indicate that she
the proceedings at all unusual.
Lore than all, she began to wonder at her '
lsband's absence. But she said nothing
oout this.
Prof. Bryce had been called out of the
otel parlor for an interview with a chival-
'us member of the Louisville bar, who
ished to entertain him. The caller feared
lat the reputation of the city for hospital
= might suffer, and 30 he urged Prof.
to come with Mrs. Bryce and stay at 4
s home. This offer was refused for fear '
at MIR. Merle would be offended.
Bryce. after warmly thanking his e.
ould-be host, hurried back to the room o.
here he had left HIS wife. There are three q
ry large parlors in the Gait house. He u
IL quite sure that he had left her in the NJ
at. but not finding her there, he passed OF
rough the second into the third. After Al
nearly an hour he looked in the 1t
rectory for Mr.. Merle's address, then m
red q carriage and drove to his residence. =,
RI. Merle n her son, a young physician, -,
re at home. The historian asked where r.
r husband WAS and received the startling on
ply that his whereabouts were unknown;
at he had not been home since supper.
Can you tell me whether no was expect 81
2 a man by the name of Bryce to visit him
NIGHT pS ha uQka0 . - "