The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1895-09-21

THAT'S NOT FATHER"
stranger, who was young and Intelligent,
grew uncomfortable undertho i'll disguised
scrutiny Of the crowd and finally said:
"Gcntjernen, would like to explain my
presence here, and Why | sit up in the Office
III preference to taking q bod. In the first
place, let me assure you il IS not II matter
OF money, " drawing out a gooGly sized roll
Of bills. For some years ny father, who
is q resident of New York, has had trouble
With his family and has been u wanderer.
He was at one tino worth considerable
money, but this has been lost, ana: 3 mum
Der Of letters which | have of late received
from him show me ho is d~espond0nt. This
afternoon | got d letter from him dated in
Detroit saying he would arrive in Chicago
tonight, & ii room at this hotel and end
his life by turning on the Gas. He added
that in tho event of the gas failing he has
Il pistol with him with which he would
send a bullet through his brain. Father
had no idea / would get this letter today,
as l have been out of town, and it was
only an unexpected case of sickness in my
family which brought me back. am sit
ting up here to intercept him when he
comes in and prevent the suicide which he
contemplates. Fortunately 1 have means
enough for both, and can relieve his anx-
iety in this respect
DIR. Potter and his friends were at once
Interested. They congratulated the stran-
ger on his good luck in having received
his fathers letter in time and rendered
their services in any way in which they
migSt be desired. Two or three times an
effort was made to find out the mans
name, but he parted the questions on the
ground that, as his fathers plans would
be frustrated, he did not care to nave his
identity disclosed. "You may, however,
call me Meachior, as 1t is awkward to ad-
dress a man without a name, and Melchior
Is as good as anything. barring the right
one." The evening sped along, n about
midnight the stranger, being assured no
mere trains would arriXe before morning;
took his departure, saying be thought his
father must have been detained or perhaps
have happily changed his mind. The CO.
currence was 50 much out OF the ordinary
that DR.. Potter and his friends sat up for
III hour or more talking 1T over.
AT O'Clock they went to bed, and q few
minutes later the night clerk retired, leav-
ing an assistant, who had not heard the
story, in charge of the office. About | 80
in came an old gentleman with a travel
ing bag in hand, who registered as George
Z. MelChlOr,' n was assigned to a room.
In the morning tho chambar1naid reported
a strong smell of gas on that floor. The
door of tho newcomers room was broken
in. and he WAS found dead with a pistol
in his right hand and d bullet wound In
| his head. He had turned On the gas and
then sAct himself. BY this time everybody
in the house had heard tho story Of the
young mans visit the night before, and
all we<e positive that tho old gentleman
who mad killed himself was his father.
The afternoon papers had a report OF the
suicide and before night the young man
was back at tho house asking 10 SEQ the
body DR.. Potter consolMl with him and
wonb to tbs desk whiio he ysked sDno que.-
irons b>fcro going UP to SEQ she body,
Il cons understand how father could
have registered as 'MclChio,, for it Is nob
hia naro, And | only u@ea it iAab night "a,
conceal our own, tho strany0s said. "ls
must ba 70 hGan a cass OF rAs1itu telopathy."
On rVa4ohing the room where tho body
lisy aImuch u,,rN pcHlliar episode occurred.
! Tia HiaTutn& the young MAJ saw tina face
CT ina c'sr6a No mid;
"That': not father. I ncvor saw this
MAJ nNiorn, to IS not known to U,o."
Nor wns t.. 4 search n tho dead UanAs
ednrta brought out papers proving iiND den
thy II, Gnorgo .. As,ohior and giving rea-
sons f0r suir,fo somewhat ~si~silar to those
a~dyancet! hy the young stranger when he
was telling his story tha night boforo.
Within a week DR.. Potter heard from the
young mau, who eaid his father was alive
: and well, having recovered from his de-
sp9ndcncy and abandoned his intention of
takin9 ms life, but tho mystery Of now "a
! man giving the samo name should appear
ut the hotel selected hT the str3nr IS Ia
tnrr ga sac Same night and commit sui
eis.e n tee ~afae outlined by aim
has never been explained. The yera5,Ous
Chicago Trlluue volghgs for the truth Of
the above Story.