The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-09-15
A Mistaken
Identity
By DWIGHT NORWOOD

and on entering the house turned int
the room where the coffin rested Of
supports. 1t had been left open, an,
any one who wished to have a look a
the deceased was permitted to do SC
Mrs. MacElroy looked down upon tn
corpse with melancholy visage. theI
went to her seat and whispered t,
Mrs. Martin beside her:
"He looks very natural"
do you think so? wouldn't know
him."
Mrs. Gonigle leaned forward an(
remarked In a subdued voice that sh,
had been asked to 60 to the hospita
where he had died and identity him
She was in doubt at first, but as she
looked the features seemed to throw Cd
the death look and take on q lifelikt
appearance. She would stake her life
on his being Parker.
Nathan Parker had left home sew
eral days before to 60 to work at his
trade-he was a plasterer-and had moi
returned. He had complained of diz
illness and was seen to stagger as he
walked down the street. Night came
and he did not return. His wife was
worried about him and fearful that be
had collapsed. She would have gone
to inquire Of his employer, but her
husband had told her that he was 60.
ing to do Job on his own account
that day and unfortunately did not in
form her where it was.
That night was one Of great anxiety
to Mrs. Parker. She went to the
grocery and called up every hospital in
town, asking If man of the name of
Parker was there. They all replied
that they had no such person among
their patients. The next day passed
without bringing the missing mans
return. Mrs. Parker sent out a police
alarm. but nothing came Of It
Then one day the missing mans son
concluded to go the rounds of the hos
pitfalls in search Of his father. At one
Of them he found that a man had died
who had been taken in unconscious
and no name obtained. He had fallen
on sidewalk, been picked up by a DO
liceman and brought to the hospital In
an ambulance. He had died the day
before.
John Parker went In to see the
corpse, dreading to find his father. He
no sooner looked upon 1t than he COW
cred his eyes with his hands. There
lay the man he had feared to see. Then
he went home and informed his moth
er Of what he had found. After she
had given way to the first Outbursts
Of grief she asked John II he was sure
that the body he had seen was that
Of his father. John said he was, but
there would be no harm In sending
some one else to identify it. Stephen
Parker, the deceased's brother, went
to the hospital and expressed a doubt
that the corpse was that Of Nathan.
Then Mrs. Gonigle, an intimate friend
Of the family, went to the hospital
and confirmed Johns report.
At the hour appointed for the fu-
neral the family and relatives came
into the room where the burial rites
were to take place and took seats be-
side the coffin. A minister appeared
who conducted the services and dwelt
at length on the virtues Of the de-
ceased. When all was over the under
taker put the lid on the coffin and
screwed 1t down. While he was do
Ing SO man. very pale, staggered in
at the door.
whats nil this?" he exclaimed.
Good graciOus! cried Mrs. Parker.
who are your" asked the minister,
starting forward to head Off the inter.
loper.
who am l? I'm Nathan Parker.
Who's that In the coffin?"
"Oh, Nathan" cried the wife. is it
really your
Really me? Who else should beY'
Have you come back from the
deadT
II haven't been with the dead"
"It looks like you. but can't be
sure"
Johnny went up to the intruder, look
ed him close In the face. then threw
his arms around him. crying: IT made
a mistake! l made mistaken Then
Mrs. Parker took her husband away
from Johnny and Rugged him.
Meanwhile Parker. who had Just got
out Of bed after several days. being
either unconscious or delirious, sue
cumbed to the shock of arriving Just
Ia time for his own funeral and would
have fallen to the floor had his wife
and son not supported him to sofa.
Johnny ran for stimulant, and Mrs
Parker chafed his hands.
Take that thing awayw he cried
family.
Parker was put to bed and the
corpse removed. As soon as he be-
came sufficiently composed to give an
account Of his absence HI said that
while going to work the sidewalk and
h9s head seemed to come together-he
knew not how-and he was uncon-
scious till he found himself In bed In
strange house. He called; a woman
come into the room and told him that
she had seen him fall. had gone out
and had instructed several persons who
gathered about him to carry him into
her house. She had not the heart to
send him to hospital. but had sent
for a doctor to attend him.
Parker asked how long he had been
there. and when she told him It was a
week he jumped out Of bed. declaring
that he must go to his family, who
would be worried about him. On ap-