Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-03-13
Mr.. BRYCE's ADVENTURE.
The Historian and His Wife n tas
Kentucky Metropolis.
Distressing But Temporary. ssp4r~-
lion "a Mao zsa Wife nIaai<hs
QsssG-Ihs Aeszit 81 One Mas
Asssat-34 ads 1ness-
[coPYRIGaT. 1871

Prof James bryee, the distinguished
historian. met with strange adventure
during bis recent visit 70 Louisville.
There are only two people outside Of
the actual gegsoaasl OF the farce comedy
In which the professor and bis wife
were unwilling participants who know
anything about II. and the secret has
been carefully guarded
In this city there lives a nan who Is
. paragon Of scesntricity. lie Is law
yer. bat 50 good fellow that We re-
frai1 from giving his name 10 the pub
lie Let "a cal hin Mr.. Merle, there
fore, because. ike the name OF Rozi-
mantle. IL i sonoroGs and full Of mean
ing.
There Il probably not man In the
country who possesses greater stock
OF miscellaneous information than Mr..
Merle, and Ike DR. sam johnson he Is
eyerybody's property. II schooiboy
wants to know about B2lGGr. Hyder
Ali, or TO find ont what royal pretender
was captured and made 10 wash pots IN
the kings kitchen, or 10 ascertain what
king had green teeth. Mr.. Merle can
tell him
This legal repository OF myriad facts
is especially noted for his absent-mind-
e6Eess- tie often forgets such little
things as whether no has put on a coll
lar. eaten his dinner or ordered any
thing from the grocery.
Although he does net enjoy so much
practice as some. il - not his fault. He
knows every legal decision and preee-
dent of any worth. and he is really a
good lawyer. But he sometimes be-
wilders his clients by irrelevant re-
marks ON star mist. psychiatry or the
original meaning of Hades.
When Prot James Bryce's great work
on the American Commonwealth" ap-
peared, Merle was delighted with il. He
wrote to the author commencing 1t. and
AZ the same time pointing out few
minor errors. This letter led to consid-
cradle friendly correspondence between
him and Prof. Bryce. The latter thought
his correspondent q very great man. as
indeed he Is.
In the course of time. the illustrious
historian visited this country, and was
shown great honor. His vile. highly
cultivated English lady, came with him,
and she was loud in her praises Of
American hospitality. Scholars were
not slow 10 show their appreciation
OF one Of the greatest Of English histo-
rians.
When he reached this country. there
was more correspondence between him
and Mr.. Merle. Prof. Bryce wrote that
he should pass through Cincinnati on
his way south 20 study the negro ques-
ton The eccentric lawyer immediate
ly wrote him a pressing invitation to
come by way of Louisville and De his
guest, adding that there were further
points for conference concerning the
american Commonwealth"
Pof Bryce was specially glad TO
avail himself of further criticism from n
man of such rare parts as the lawyers
letters showed him 10 be, and SO tho
historian wrote, accepting the invita-
ton for himself and his wife. The
morning they arrived in Cincinnati, that
there might be no mistake, they tele-
graphed the lawyer that they would
reach Louisville on certain evening
train.
Mr.. Merle was in high glee on receiv-
ing this dispatch He showed IL with
great pride To several lawyers. They
smiled inwardly. and some Of them
feared lest the eccentric genius might