The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-10-06
A Mistaken
Identity
By DWIGHT NORWOOD

ana on entering the house turned into
the room where the coffin rested on
supports. 1t had been left open. and
sny one who wished to have look at
the deceased was permitted to do so.
Mrs. MacElroy looked down upon the
corpse with melancholy visage. then
went to her seat and whispered to
Mrs. Martin beside her:
"He looks very natural"
do you think so? I wouldn't know
him.
Mrs. Gonigle leaned forward and
remarked in 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 OF
the death look and take on a lifelike
appearance. She would stake her life
on 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
1ihCSo seiN was SCCh " SSuSSCi 10 NC
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 1t was.
That night was one Of great anxiety
to Mrs. Parker. She went to the
grocery and called up every hospital in
town. asking II a 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 1t.
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 in
an ambulance. He had died the day
before.
| John Parker went in to see the
corpse. dreadlng 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 1t. 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 it down. While he was do.
ing SO man. very pale. staggered In
at the door.
whats all thisI" he exclaimed.
Good graciOus.' cried Mrs Parker
who are your" asked the minister
, starting forward to head Off the inter
lOper.
"Who am 1? I'm Nathan Parker
Who's that In the coffin?'
j, "Oh, Nathan" cried the wife. rs II
really your"
Really me? Who else should l be?'
Have you come back from the
dead?"
81 haven't been with the dead"
J. 1T 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: IT made
, mistake! made mistake" Ther
Mrs. Parker took her husband away
q from Johnny and Rugged him.
Meanwhile Parker, who had Just go
Q out Of bed after several days. being
| 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,
e and son not supported him to sofa
:. Johnny ran for stimulant, and Mrs
A Parker chafed his hands.
b Take that thing awayr' he criet
@ family.
o Parker was put to bed and tn,
\ corpse removed. As soon as he be
t came sufficiently composed to give al
g account Of his absence h. said tina
while going TO work the sidewalk an,
his head seemed TO come together-h
i knew not how-and he was uncon
d scious till he found himself In bed Il
/ a strange house. He called: woman
r came 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 4
u send him to hospital, but had sen
for doctor to attend him.
Parker asked how long he had beel
" there, and when she told him II was
= week he jumped out OF bed, declarin,
/. that he must go to his family. VIII
would be worried about him. On ap
= preaching his home and seeing
hearse at the door he feared his wifi
had died of fright on his account