The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1916-11-02
TIE LATE
MIR. PEARCE
Copyright. The Frank A Mnneaa N1 14
BY ROB REED M,NAcNv
" c No. Astonishing to Find All of a
sudden That You Have Been
Dead for Five ya.rs2


~. no sat directly across from mo.
Sharlhg tho little table for two
one among many in thu m,dn1s,t
CROWD which thronged the restaurant
mad noticed him CASUALLY az =
grave White-haired. gentlemanly old
man or aristocratic bearing. STRAW,
ger. alone like myself ouietlv sinaias.
his wine. '1p''n s
ne was NOT wild-eyed; In fact ma
was the mildest hammered man evor
saw ana when he leaned pleasantly,
toward me and asked In a friendly
way Have you ever been dead?" I
confess it startled me.
lhough naturally a reserved mo-,
not accustomed to forming across-table
aoquaihlances. the CHASTITY peculiarity
VI MS question fascinated me. and r
hastehed to assure him that md
never had that pleasure except In am.
tlc1patlon. clutching my hat as / did
30 and mentally picking out the short
ese route to safety should he manifest
further symptoms.
lie smiled half sadly to himself and
murmured "Ah, If you knew how II 10
10 De dead and still be here: but per
maps am boring you. | beg your par
don for 1nterrupting your Thoughts
WIN an airy wave of his hand and an
inclination OF his head he relansed
into silence.
but l was not to be baked Hero
was living, apparently sane person
VINO claimed to be dead. Could anv-
'hlng be more remarkable? Could any
ones curiosity resist the termination
which such an opportunity offered9
would ever forgive myself if dido
No.
had paid for the tale In thrills at
least and | must hear it. 1t must in
any event. be worth hearing. And so
relate the story of the adventure
which provoked his singular remark
After remaining silent for some min.
u'es' he surrendered gracefully, order
ing strange. foreign wine-"Naya-
hka' believe he called it-and hitch.
ing ms chair closer. he rested his ell
BOWS on the table, face in hands and
spun me this remarkable yarn:
You must know Mr-er-weu sir
at any rate, my name is Pearce. am
as near as can Judge, about "a wears
OF age, though look twice that. and
began life in small way in the Mid
ule West My career was uneyentful
out promising. Early in life ! CHOSE
and rather un~emunerativo
WORK, slr--as my profession.
Progressing with rather unueu.,
speed | found myself. at tho time wv,
story proper opens, an illustrator in
man of so. You NAV. if gou
are interested in such matters. reme,n.
Der having seen my name on picture,
IN some of the magazines of ahou+
five years ago.
When my prospects improved 7 nor
,ieu d very sweet little woman, an ar
'lsl IKE myself, and at the time NV
opens we We're living com.
loFlapiy, with two promising Young
sters and everything which goes 10
make quiet, unassuming, home-loving
man like myself happy Work was
steady and my name was gradually
louhd no difficulty in securing com
and, as | say, we lived an al.
most IDEAL though rather uneventful
existence And now comes the rather
pecullar-ln fact. think am justified
N calling 1t Observation-Disclosures To
which these Introductory remarks are
necessary.
Il have thought of the matter often
since my return call it my second
line on earth" he smiled whimsicallv
and md my mind perfectly clear on
he subject remember we'll that
warm June day. The air was soft and
'almy. and the whole world seemed
good to me. had come downtown on
business from my studio and was
,rosslng Madison street at State in
he early afternoon crush. il
remember everything clearly, even
o particular show window which
pleased me and before which paused
! moment. was just midway between
he pavements which at that sine of
lay are very crowded. when became
ware of the frantic honk honk. of a
curing car. Glancing up was para.
yzed for a instant to see All immense
ar Whlrling down on me at full speed
had just presence Of mind enough to
pr1ng forward, and then / recall an +
wful shock, a sudden Jar, and it seem
d to me my flying body was rent into
thousand pieces.
From that time on my mind was a
lank as to the incidents until | woke {
p two weeks ago in the emergency |
Iard of New York hospital" +
And now comes the strange part Of >
~ story. Two weeks ago / found c
1yself in the emergency ward of a :
reat hospital. A white-capped nurse !
Tas bending over ms administering
ONE nourishment ane 1ter puzzled i
lance around me. l 1quired feebly /
here was. She triaa gently to quiet $
le"
So the auto hit me, after ALP" | j
sked as she smoothed my coverings /
nd prepared to leave l recall now l
he feeting surprise in her hasty d
lance. the pause, and how she replied a
oothingly: Yes, he struck you g
retty severe blow, but you must be /
~; tot ,,o,, opd NOT TOLL, vo,,l, ~ 80. E