The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1915-12-03
A Mistaken
Identity
By DWIGHT NORWOOD


Mrs. MacElroy looked down upon the
corpse with melancholy yisage, then
went to her seat and whispered to
Mrs. Martin beside her:
'EIe looks very natural"
do you think so? I wouldn't know
him.
Mrs. Gonigle leaned forward and
remarked In q subdued voice that she
had been asked to go to the hospital
where he had died and identify him.
She was in doubt at first, but as she
looked the features seemed to throw off
the death look and take on lifelike
appearance. She would stake her life
OH his being Parker.
Nathan Parker had left home sew
eral days before to go to work at his
trade-he was a 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 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 a sidewalk, been picked up by po-
liceman and brought to the hospital i'll
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 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 be 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 it. 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 flu
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 it down. While he was do
ing so a man. very pale, staggered in
at the door.
whats oil this?' he exclaimed.
Good gracious!" cried Mrs. Parker
"Who are you?" 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. lis it
really your
Really me? Who else should be?'
Have you come back from the
dead?"
II haven't been with the dead
cit looks like you. but I can't be
sure
Johnny went up to the intruder, look
ed him close in the face, then threw
his arms around him, crying: II made
a mistake. | made a mistake. Then
Mrs Parker took her husband away
from Johnny and Rugged him.
Meanwhile Parker. whoshad just got
out of bed after several days, being
either unconscious or delirious, sue
cumbed to the shock of arriving just
in time for his own funeral and would
have fallen to the floor had his wife
and son not supported him to a sofa.
Johnny ran for stimulant, and Mrs
Parker chafed his hands.
take that thing awayv' he cried
faintly.
Parker was put to bed and the
corpse removed. AS soon as he be
came sufficiently composed to give an
account of his absence The said that
while going to work the sidewalk and
his head seemed to come together-he
knew not how-and he was uncon-
scious till he found himself in bed in
| a strange house. He called: woman
came 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