The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1917-07-21
A Mistaken
Identity
By DWIGHT

supports. 1t had been left open. and
any one who wished to have a 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? | wouldn't know
him.
Mrs. Gonigle leaned forward and
remarked i'm a 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 a lifelike
appearances. She would stake her life
on his being Parker.
Nathan Parker had left home sew
eral days before to go to work at bis
trade-he was Il plasterer-and had not
returned. lie 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 go
ing to do a job on his own account
that day and unfortunately did not in
form her where 1T was.
That night was n of great anxiety
to Mrs. Parker. She went 10 the
grocery and called up every hospital in
town. asking If Il man of the name of
Parker was there. They all replied
that they had no such person among
their patients. The neX day passed
without bringing the missing mans
return. Mrs. Parker sent out Il 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. lie had fallen
on a sidewalk, been picked up by Il pc.
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 it than he GOV
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 Il doubt
that the corpse was that of Nathan.
Then Mrs. Gonigle, an intimate friend
of the family. vent 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 dwell
at length on the virtues of the de
ceased. When all was over the under
taker put the lid OF the coffin and
screwed it down. While he was do
ing so II 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
IOper.
"Who am /? I'm Nathan Parker.
Who's that in the cotfin?"
ooh, Nathan cried the wife. us it
really your
Really me? Who else should be-
Have you come back from the
deadY"
II haven't been with the dead
ut looks like you. but | can't be
sure"
Johnny went up to the intruder, look
ed him close in the face, then threw
his arms around him. crying: Il made
a mistake! | made IL mistake" Then
Mrs. Parker took her husband away
from Johnny and Rugged him.
Meanwhile Parker. who had just got
out of bed after SeVera days. being
either unconscious or delirious, sue
cumbed to the shock of arriving just
in time for his wi funeral and would
have fallen to the floor had his wife
and son not supported him to Il sofa.
Johnny ran for Il stimulant. and Mrs
Parker chafed his hands.
Take that thing away"' he cried
family.
Parker. was put to bed and the
corpse removed. AS 500 as he be
came sufficiently composed to give an
account of his absence he 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 III
a strange house. He called; IL woman
came into the room and told him that