The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1899-08-11
be 500 or it might be $500. sent for

ldhdOlN " LIS
made up my mind it would have to be
all sorts of unmistakableness before I'd
hand over that package to the simia-
hobo in front, for in addition to my
first suspicious saw he was beginning
to shake.
"'You say you're Mancher,' I said.
Got anybody to identify you?
"'I'll identify him. said the hobo
with the bandage.
(which bank are you president Off
1 said. He moved up. Hold on. Don't
come too close told him. and l
showed up a revolver.
Jim is all right said the gorilla,
hastily. We look pretty tough. Mr..
Agent, hut you'd look tough too il
you'd been through the same. If don't
get that money'-he broke of and l
saw his throat working; then he looked
up with Pitiful grin and added: 1t
took my last cent to telegraph for it,
and l haven't eaten since yesterday
morning.
Come 80 miles on foot, both of US,
on one slice of bread added the rag
bearer.
They certainly looked the part, and
I began to soften up little. but kept
my gun ready.
whats your lay, Mancher?' l said.
Give some account of yourself, and
maybe we can fix this thing. Know any
solid citizen here that can identity
you?'
Not living SOUL he said. We've
just tramped in, l tell you. We came
out TO this country prospecting with
a gang, and we didn't strike it right.
Then Jim and beat back, doing odd
turns around saloons. I'm bit of a
mesmerist myself
He fumbled in his rags and handed
out card TO me with Paul Leroy, mes
merist and hypnotic specialist on it.
THAT don't look much like Man
cher, my friend l said.
That's my professional name be
answered, quietly. My folks name is
Mancher. For the love of Heaven!' he
broke out, sharply, is there money to
get me home waiting for me and can't
get it and the two of Us starving to
death?' and he laid his head down
sideways on the counter like a sick
monkey.
Write your name said, pushing
him pad and pen and ink.
with gasp of hope he grabbed at
the pen and scratched of his name in
shaking hand. l looked it over and
there was nothing unmistakable about
it. Anybody who was pretty nervous
might have written the same way.
shook my head.
1T won't do. Mancher,' told him.
You'll have to get somebody to identi-
fy you. If you're hard up for meal
I'll stake you to dollar to pass you
along
Then what did you want me to
write my name for?' he cried. That's
the name the money was sent to, if it's
for me. 1t must be for nae. Didn't
they write you some description of me
so 1 could get it?'
Come on, AL said his companion.
with furious look at me. Hes hold
ing out on you. He won't give it up
That's enough from you,' l said.
AS for you who call yourself Mancher,
III give you one chance. My advices
are that the Mancher to whom this
money is consigned is to prove his
identity Enthusiastically by writing his
name
The old game, AL the man with
the rag around his head cried out.
IN minute the gorilla was down on
the floor tugging at his right shoe un-
til he had it off and what was left of
the sock under it. Now III show you'll
he said
Standing on his left foot, he lifted
his right, caught the ankle in his hand.
swung it over his left shoulder, stopped
and picked up the pen in his toes Then
he shifted it over his head, dipped it,
drew the pad to him and dashed off his
name with the pen held firmly in his
toes. I've never seen a contortionist
that had such imberness. He made me
fairly dizzy, but my doubts were gone.
Will that do?' he asked, anxiousIy.
Yes; if it was a million dollars
| said, and / handed him the packet.
for the money came in little box and
not on an order.
He ripped it open, and when he
counted out 5000 / thought he was go
ing to break down and leave tear stains
all over my floor. That signature |
pasted in the book, and then got him
TO write me his autograph on another
piece OF paper. Last / saw of Mancher
he was leaving on the train with his
friend JIM He was on the back plat
form, and when I shook nv hat at him
he chucked his cap onto the top of his
shoe and swung it around his head.
That's the autograph there, gentle
men," concluded the lawyer, land. as
told you, no expert has ever been
able to analyze it yet. So far as know.
it's the only case where signature for
Identification was not made in hand
writing."-N. Y. Sun.
Why TOMMY Rec7ne GIeefut