The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-08-07
A Mistaken
Identity
BY DWIGHT NORWOOD

i ITlcuuS were uIIlfiuS lOT tue luuelt
and on entering the house turned int
the room where the coffin rested o
supports. 1t had been left open, an
/ any one who wished to have look a
a the deceased was permitted TO do Sc
. Mrs. MacElroy looked down upon tn
corpse with melancholy visage, the
went to her seat and whispered I
J Mrs. Martin beside her:
, "TIe looks very natural"
do you think SO? wouldn't know
him.
Mrs. Gonigle leaned forward ant
remarked In a subdued voice that sh,
had been asked TO go to the hospita
where he had died and identify him
She was in doubt at first, but as she
looked the features seemed to throw Of
the death look and take on a lifelikt
appearance. She would stake her life
on his being Parker.
Nathan Parker had left home sew
eral days before togo to work at his
trade-he was plasterer-and had not
returned. He had complained of dir
ziness 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 go
| 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 police
alarm, but nothing came of it
Then one day the missing mans son
concluded to 60 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 po-
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 If 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 1t. Stephen
Parker, the deceased's brother, went
to the hospital and expressed 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
n length on the virtues of the de-
.aker put the lid on the coffin and
screwed ii down. While he was do
ng so man, very pale, staggered in
Il the door.
whats all thisg' he exclaimed.
"Good gracious" cried Mrs. Parker.
"Who are your" asked the minister,
tarting forward to head Off the inter
oper.
"who am II I'm Nathan Parker !
Who's that In the cofiinf'
"oh. Nathan" cried the wife, lis II y
eally your
Really mel Who else should bey' {
Have you come back from the
eadl"
II haven't been with the dead" =
ut looks like you. but can't he
ure."
Johnny went up 20 the intruder, look !
d him close In the face, then threw 4
is arms around him. crying: Il made !
mlstakel made mistaken Then Q
frs. Parker took her husband away a
rom Johnny and Rugged him. b
Meanwhile Parker who had just got p
NJ OF bed after several days. being v
lther unconscious or dellrious, sue
umbed 10 the shock Of arriving Just
time for bis own funeral and would y
ave fallen 10 the floor had HIS wife :,
nd son not supported him 10 a sofa.
ohnny ran for q stfmulant. and Mrs. z
arker chafed hts hands
Take that thing away he cried
Unity.
Parker was put 70 bed and the
Jrpse removed AZ soon a. be be
inc sufficiently composed b give an
-count n his absence be said that
lille going 70 work the sidewalk and q
: bead seemed q come together-he !
rev not how-and be was uncon- I
sous tfIl be found himself IN rcd IN }
strange house. He called. a woman J,
me into tire rpom and tod him that
70 had seen him fan had r1ne out
"a had Instructed several persons who
Ifhsred about him - cnrrv him into
= house she md not me hesrt -
ud him - q hpsritsl but had cent
? q dacfor - attend him n
Prrtar asked hsu lonr 10 he'd teer Y
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