The morning times., 1897-02-07
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A Matter
Of Instinct
Copyright, 1897, by the Bachelor Syn
6iI,at 4

Copyright, 1897, by the Bachelor Syn
dicate)
Fate was q cat and Leonard Herrick was
mouse. There had been some rare sport,
but Herrick was of the opinion thatit could
not last much longer. BE had run this way
and that way and thousand times he had
fancied that he was going to escape. But
always the velvet paws, with lifelong, sharp
claws springing out OF them. had caught him
just in time. So at last he lay still pant
ing, not knowing which way to turn
He was in a big city all alone. The people
who rushed by him were like the thoughts
that whirled through his brain: they were
shadows, and the everlasting train OF them
had no beginning nor end. He could not
distinguish the real men and women whom
he saw from those WI HON he merely remem-
bered. Now and again there appeared i'll the
throng the faces OF the dead; he did not
mind those, but there were others that he
Shrank from
He stood with his back against the iron
fence in front of Trinity Church There was
just light enough in the western sky to
give the pile of stone a shadow which fell
upon hurrying thousands who did not no.
tice it.
Herrck's hands were in his pockets
He crumpled a cracking piece OF paper.
which meant tina: he could live several
days longer if he cared to do so. AS to
more extended future, he could not picture
it. All the lines of his life seemed TO end
i'll knot, which could by no means he
united. but must merely be dropped lie
he could not think Of one to wish for.
From 3 O'Clock till 4 the crow d In that
part of Broadway is rich and prosperous;
from 4 till it boasts OF wealthy CON
nections and takes strong interest IN life
after it loses caste rapidly, and by it
is a lot of weary people going home to
supper Herrick felt the degeneracy OF
the throng without really seeing it. If a
whole street full of people could get
shabby in an hour, was ii any wonder that
he had done it in five years?
He crossed Broadway ana walked down
Wall street slowly ami with hesitation, for
he had no errand. a Voice cried: Cab,
sirt" almost IN his ear. He turned and
looked up at the man on the box.
as ii possible, =" he said to himself, THAT
! still look like a gentleinan?''
He felt toward the cabnIan as toward one
who had given him Il helping hand Why
not pay the debt? To do so would cost
him only a day of his life He had a S5
bill in his pocket.
Yes he said take me up to the Fifth
Avenue Hotel -
1t was the first place that had come into
hismind. He got into the CAB and snapped
the door The cushioned seat aud the COM
Portable support for his head were very re-
freshing- a fancy came TO him that he
would dine dccently and then go TO a the
ater The extravaganza would be trifling,
for it was really OF small Importance
whether he starved tn death on Sunday or
the following Wednesday He was in a
mood to make jest OF It all.
strong glare from an electric light
struck down into the carriage and made
visible 10 him package in brown paper
that looked as If it might be a sandwich.
The object protruded from under the seat
He thought it must be the claimants sup
per, which had been hidden in rome small
locker and had fallen upon the floor. The
idea that the food should be spoiled was
disagreeable to Herrick, and so he picked
up the little brown bundle
Itwas smaller than he had supposed, and
it did lot feel like bread But had it been
food and he at the last pang of starvati0n
the touch of IT would not have sent such
thrill through all his frame.
1t felt like u mass of bills folded, awk-
wardly wrapped up and fastened with
elastic bands. Through the brown cover
ing HcrrIck could feel the crispness of the
government paper. The amount might be
aToor mans monthly wages or rich man S
profit on great transaction.
As TO his own conduct in this matter,
Herrick had 70 doubt whatever. Fate had
thrown this money into his hands, and fate
might take it away, but rotif he could hold
on tightly enough. His fingers trembled
as he picked at the elastic bands. Sudden
ly, and without knowing why, the rubber
strings vanished with a loud snap that
startled him, and the package sprang open
on his knees. He caught a flash OF green
color and then the cab rolled out of light
into shadow
1t seem ed a long time before another light
struck in upon him. AT the moment when
it did so he saw face close TO the cab
door and he lodged back, covering the bills
with his hands. But the chance passenger
on the street saw nothing: he was thinking