Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1899-08-31
"Is there paalsage here TOT "A. /

is there a paakage here Tor a. Il.
Mancher?'
Maybe there is, said. Whatever
you expecting if you're Mancher?'
which didn't for minute believe.
I'Yes; I'm Marcher,' he said, eager
~. Il was expecting money. 1t might
re S10O or it might be $500. sent 70,
$780,
Then l remembered I'd had 4 letter
along with package for Mancher, say
ing that he could identity himself I'M
mistaliably by his handwriting. 1
made up my mind it would have to be
all sorts of unmistakableness before Id
hand over that package TO the simian
hobo in front, for in addition to my
first suspicious saw he was beginning
10 shake.
"'You say you're Mancher,' l said.
Got anybody to identify you?'
"T'll identify him. said the hobo
with the bandage.
(which bank arc you president OFF,
/ said. lie moved up. Hold OH. Don't
come too close told him, and
showed up Il revolver.
Jim is all right said the gorilla,
hastily. We look pretty tough, Mr.
agent, but you'd look tough too IL
you'd been through the same. If l don't
set that moncy'-hc broke off and l
saw his throat working; then he looked
up with Il pitiful grin and added: 1T
sock my last cent to telegraph for it,
and | haven't eaten since yesterday
morning.
"Cone 80 miles on foot, both of us,
on one slice of bread added the rag
bearer.
They certainly looked the part, and
began TO soften up little, but 1 kept
my gun ready.
"'What's your lay, Manchcr?' l said.
Give some account of yourself, and
maybe we can fix this thing. Know any
solid citizen here that can identify
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 l beat back, doing odd
turns around saloons. I'm q bit of a
mcsmerist myself
"IIe fumblcd 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 he
answered, quietly. My folks name is
Manchcr. For the love of Heaven' he
broke out, sharply, is there money to
get me home waiting for me and 1 can't
get it and the two of us starving to
death?' and he laid his head down
sideways on the counter like sick
monkey.
"'Write your name l said, pushing
him a pad and pen and ink.
with a gasp of hope he grabbed at
the pen and scratched off his name in
a shaking hand. looked it over and
there was nothing unmistakable about
It, Anybody who was pretty nervous
might have written the same way. l
shook my head.
"It won't do, Mancher,' told him.
You'll have to get somebody to identi-
fly you. If you're hard up for a meal
I'll stake you to a dollar to pass yon
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 me. Didn't
they write you some description of me
so L could get it?'
"'Come on, AL said his companion
with a furious look at me. He's hold
ing out on you. lie wonr give it up
" That's enough from YOU I said.
'As for you who call yourself Mancher,
III give you one chance. My advices
are that the Afanchcr to whom this
money is consigned is to prove his
identity unmistal.ably by writing his
aame.'
1.-The old game, AL the man with
Lhe rag around his head cried out.
"In a 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. TheI.
he shifted it orer 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 contortionist
that had such limbcrncss. lie made me
fairly dizzy, but my doubts were gone.
"'Win that do?' he asked, anXiously.
eyes; if it was million dollars
1 said, and 1 handed him the packet,
for the money came in little box and
not on an order.
ale ripped it open, and when he
counted out $500 l thought he was go
ing to break down and leave tear stains
all over my floor. That signature l
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 1 shook my 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
1 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. IN. Y. Sun.