The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-01-15
RICHES HAVE WINGS.

Mike Sullivan walked up and down
Broadway until he felt that it was danger
Gus far him to show himself on such a
thoroug hfare, walking in an afmless way
so late at night, or rather SO early in the
morning.
''Divil take me'' he said to himself,
"but must get hold of little money or
wink OUT
just then policeman came in sight,
and Mike turned down back street.
''BegorraI'' was his exclamation, 'sthat
was narrow escape. But with a little
good luck will get out of this mess.''
| Mike sauntered along for block or so
until the chilly atmosphere drove him into
stairway for shelter. Then he paused
| for a moment and listened.
The policeman walked on down the 9TH
er street, and Mike felt safe for the time
But it was growing colder, and it was
not long before the homeless wanderer
/ Obeyed the natural instincts of self pres
| ervation. He shivered awhile and then
cautiously made his way up stairs, where
| he saw a chance Of sleeping in the hall
way.
For an hour or two the tramp, for that
was what he was, made the best of his
| rough bed, but toward morning he became
restless and began to feel his way. Turn
ing a doorknob, he entered a room, and
its total darkness did not prevent him
from finding cat in moment that it was
an Office whose occupant had left it I'M
locked.
Mike at first felt somewhat EN- barrassed,
but his hunger urged him on, and he be-
gan a search in the desks and cabinets.
1t was evidently an Office room, but the
! intruder could not exactly make out what
it was. In the darkness he plunged about
until finally he opened a desk and his
hands touched roll of something in the
shape of bank bills, and as soon as he felt
them he was satisfied that he had found
plenty of money or something like it.
He took a handful to the window, and
by the dim light from the streets he read
the corners of the bills He saw such
figures as $500 and 1000 on the notes,
and it suddenly struck him that he was
in sight of a Monte Cristo fortune.
He rushed back to the desk, and after
| diving into it again he drew out another
large bundle, which, upon investigation,
proved to be package of bills of a very
large denomination.
The tramp, coneratulating himself upon
his luck, made still further Investigations,
! and in the course of a half hour, with his
pockets well filled. he descended the stair
way and paused at the entrance with a
very anxious look. He felt his bullying
peSO
and 81 900 bills.
He had hundreds of thousands of dol
lars on his person. and he was afraid to
run any risk.
But he no longer feared that the police
would arrest him for vagrancy. The pos
session of SO lhuch wealth gave him con-
fdence
Fortunately his clothes were not alto
gether disreputable and would not attract
attention.
Mike stepped out on the sidewalk and
took a promenade on a few side streets.
His conscience did not reproach him.
He had been hungry tramp so long that
he would not fight against temptation.
1t seemed to him that he had picked up
his fortune in the road He regarded him
self not as thief, but as a discoverer.
How about the owner of the money?
Mike shrugged his shoulders and grinned.
"I'd be a pretty fool to let 81, 600, OOO es-
cape me, - he said as he strolled along.
Itwas almost daylight when he wheeled
into Broadway again.
'Bedad, - was his cheerful exclamation,
give got the stuff, and I'll have my fun!''
He turned into fashionable restaurant,
just opened at that early hour, and in a
few moments an expensive meal was
spread before him.
Poor fellow
While he ate he laughed and chuckled
over the coming surprise of the clerk when
he should be called on to change a 500
bill.
The rich tramp took his time He ate
voraciously and remained fully an hour at
the table.
Finally the waiter presented ticket
for SIS.
CAN right said Mike, throwing down
500 bill. Let me have the change, and
bring it-quickr'
Then he laughed quietly as he thought
of the clerk establishment.
} The waiter and the clerk held CONVEX
} sation at the desk and looked angrily al
their smiling guest.
Say yelled the clerk, F'this racket
} won do, you know!'
Smallest I've got,' replied Mike good
naturedly Got nothing else but $500
and $1,000 bills.
t 'Confound your roared the clerk, ''this
is Confederate money!"
A blank look of amazement came ovel
Mixes face and in an instant he was or
his feet.
He emptied pocket after pocket and soor
had about bushel of notes spread out OF
the table.
1t was all Confederate trash. There wa:
, not dollar of good money in the lot.
The half fainting Irishman stammereC
out an explanation.
'Pay me that So said the clerk.
81 swear" replied the other, THAT
have been swindled. I thought it wa:
good money"
, The clerk knew his business, but BIZ
, pitied the frightened stranger, and with {
, few emphatic expressions he led him by
the collar to the door and kicked him out
, Mike pulled himself together and went
down the street at a rapid pace.
! He was badly disappointed. and yet ht
! felt that he was an ex-millionaire. For
few hours he had enjoyed the pleasure O.
passing as a rich man without any of hi
responsibilities.
, In less than an hour he was sitting IL
! the sunshine in Madison square, whistlins
: merrily, without a single care on his mind