The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1915-10-14
A Mistaken
Identity
Bv DWIGHT NORWOOD


and on entering the house turned into
the room where the coffin rested on
supports. 1t had been left open, and
any one who wished TO have look ar
the deceased was permitted to do so.
Mrs. MacElroy looked down upon the
corpse with melancholy visage, then
went to her seat and whispered 10
Mrs. Martin beside her:
"IIe looks very natural"
do you think so? l wouldn't know
him."
Mrs. GOnigle leaned forward and
remarked in subdued voice that she
had been asked to go to the hospital
She was in doubt at first, but as she
looked the features seemed TO throw off
the death look and take on a lifelike
appearance. She would stake her life
OH his being Parker.
Nathan Parker had left home sew
eral days before 10 go to work at his
trade-he was Il plasterer-and had not
returned. He had complained of dir
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 he
had collapsed She would have gone
TO inquire of his employer, but her
husband had told her that he was 60
| Ing to do a 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 I'm
| 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 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 Il man had died
who had been taken in unconscious
| and no name obtained. He had fallen
on sidewalk, been picked up by pc.
liceman and brought to the hospital In
| before.
John Parker went in TO see the
corpse, dreading TO find his father. He
no sooner looked upon it 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 dwell
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 q man, very pale, staggered In
at the door.
whats all this?" he exclaimed.
Good gracious cried Mrs. Parker.
"Who are you?" asked the minister
starting forward to head off the inter
loper.
who am /? I'm Nathan Parker
Who's that I'm the coffinT'
"Oh, Nathan" cried the wife, SIS II
really your"
Really me? Who else should 1 beT
Have you come back from the
deadT
=. 81 haven't been with the dead"
at looks like you. but can't bt
sure"
Johnny went up to the intruder, look
ed him close in the face, then threw
his arms around him, crying: 81 made
a mistake! l made a mistaker' Ther
Mrs. Parker took her husband ava.
from Johnny and Rugged him.
II Meanwhile Parker who had just go
out Of bed after several days, bein,
either unconscious or delirious, sue
cumbed to the shock Of arriving Jus
In time for his own funeral and woult
have fallen to the floor had his wifi
and son not supported him to a sofa
} Johnny ran for a stimulant and Mrs
Parker chafed his hands.
Take that thing awayT' he crie'
family.
Parker was put to bed and tn
corpse removed. AS soon as he be
came sufficiently composed to give al
account Of his absence he said tina
while going to work the sidewalk an
his head seemed to come together-h
knew not how-and he was uncor
scious till he found himself in bed 4
a strange house. He called; a woma
come into the room and told him tina
she had seen him fall, had gone on
and had instructed several persons VIII
gathered about him to carry him Int
her house, She had not the heart {
send him to q hospital, but had sen