The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1890-10-25
THE MISTAKEN IDENTITY OF MR..
WILLIAM BLACK.

Mr.. William Black, the popular nov
elist, tells an amusing story of how he
was persistently taken tor somebody
else, and has never been able to con-
vince the persons concerned that he is
really himself and not the other man.
Some considerable time ago The
wrote recently in Messrs. Tillotson's
Syndicate of Provincial Newspapersl l
received u letter from Mrs. Macy,
informing me that certain people and
incidents in particular novel of mine
were known only to herself and to q
nephew Of hers, who was thought to
have been drowned at sea some years
before, and that, as l must necessarily
be that nephew, il was InCumbent on
me TO come forward and resume my
own name aud recognize my relatives,
| herself first OF all. | paid little heed !;
but as year after year went by, found
from the repeated letters she sent me-
some of them quite plaintiye IN their
appeals--that this was no temporary
halluciuation, but q veritable belief !;
and that the poor old lady was deeply
distressed by my undutjful conduct.
Then set to work to try to undeceive
her. pointed out that | should be
glad to take the name OF Macy, if
| had any right to It, seeing that that is
a much more distinguished name than
my own, which in certain districts in
the south of Scotland and in the west
ern highlands is a common as Smith is
in England. | asked her what motive
| could have for concealing my identity
why | should refuse to recognize her
as my aunt, ii she were my aunt.
had meanwhile made sure that there
was no eleemosynary purpose in tie
old danes piteous cry ION the contrary
she had promised that il | would only
aumit that | was Neil Macy she
would at once get for me some iewelry
and other things left for me by my
mother, who, IL seems, was q native OF
Skye. Well, argument was OF no avail.
Then | sent friends TO assure her that
she was mistaken; no use. | asked
her TO write 10 a U. Z. minister who
had known me all my life-I thought
she would have confidence in him, il in
anybody short OF an archangel-but she
darkiy hinted that il was easy 10 gel
friends to counive when cOncealIneni
was the object. So time passed; the
reprOachiul remOnstrances, the pious
counsel, the hope that | would see the
inhuman ingratitude of my ways ere il
was too late Tor me to make atonement
were repeated in every letter; and
could not but admire the cOmposure O
countenauce on the part OF the hall
POI ter at the - club, for there was
not trace of consciousness on his face
as he handed me those missives, eacl
of which had "aliss Neil MACY" OF
the envelope.
Then, IA it chanced, | was in q smal
fishing town in the west Highlands
and word was brought me that Mrs
MacV- and u niece OF hers had com,
from some considerable distance in tn,
, hope that | would go and see them.
went at once, tor | thought this wOult
prove decisive. ! found al the post
office, which was the place OF rendeZ
vous, most respectable looking, seri
, Gus, calm, and courteous Old highlan(
woman, along with very pretty ant
, smart looking young lady Qor tn
moment | deeply regretted l was no
Neil Macy, there being certain
;; small cousinly greetings that one nigh
fairly and naturally have claimed undc
D the circumstanccs), and forthwith as
sumed that now, at least, they wOul'
, see was not the relative they had lost
. But | was mistaken. The old lad
asked me to show her the foreiinger o
my right hand. did so.
"Ah," said she, "the mark is no
. there now; hut marks like that offer
get worn Gn."
Then turned to the pretty youni
D lady with confidence; | was sure SIN
D could not share IN this delusiOn.
, "Why,' | said, "ii your cousin ha
= not been drowned al sea--it he wer
> aliyc--he gould according To your Ow>
story, be about eight and twenty year
of age. Now, don't You see that | al
rather over eight aud twenty? Don
D you see that my hair is turning grey !
p, Her answer appalled, me.
\ "Oh," said she quite sharply, "that'
| nothing; | haye known young INA
: of two and twenty whose hair wa
: quite white
That was not the end; for snbsc
:, quently the whole clan Macy al
: pearcd to have taken the matter NJ
7 and from time to time there came
J, letter filed with bitter reproaches, all
II also with dark threats OF exposure
:. But that is not the tone in which I'll
old lady herself now writes, when all
n writes at all, She has grown resigned
-, appareniiy she has given mp all hol
that her ungrateiul nephew will com
- 10 comfort her declining years. She
u no longer Indignant; she is wistful an
pathrtic. She hopes God will pardo
II nv impeuitent soul. And | hope 8,
s. too.