Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1897-01-28
"A MATTER OF INSTINCT,
BY EVERETT HOLBROOK.
downright. 1871

ion that it could not last much longer.
He had run this way and that way and
q thousand times he had fancied that
he was going to escape. But always
the velvet paws with the long, sharp
claws springing out of them, had caught
him just in time. So at last he lay still,
painting, not knowing which way to
turn.
He was in big city, all alone. The
people who rushed by him were like the
thoughts that whirled through his
brain; they were shadows and the ever
lasting train of them had no beginning
nor end. He could not distinguish the
real men and women whom he saw from
those whom he merely remembered.
Now and again there appeared in the
throng the faces of the dead, he didn't
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 q
shadow which fell upon hurrying thou
sands who did not notice it.
Herrick's hands were in his pockets.
He crumpled a cracking piece of paper
which meant that he could live several
days longer, if he cared to do so. AS
to a more extended future, he could
mot picture it. All the lines of his life
seemed to end in knot which could
by no means be united, but must
merely be dropped. He remembered
that there were miracles, but he could
not think of one to wish for.
From three o'clock till four the crowd
in that part of Broadway is rich and
prosperous; from four till five it boasts
of wealthy connections and takes a
strong interest in life; after five it loses
caste rapidly, and by six it is lot Of
weary people going home to supper.
Herrick felt the degeneracy of the
throng without really seeing it. If u
whole street full of people could get
shabby in an hour, was it any wonder
that he had done it in five years?
He crossed Broadway and walked
down Wall street, slowly and with hes
iitation, for he had no errand. A voice
cried: "Cab, sir!" almost in his ear.
He turned and looked up at the man on
the box.
"Is it possible" he said to himself,
shat still look like gentleman"
He felt toward the cabman as toward
one who had given him a helping hand.
Why not pay the debt? To do so would
cost him only day of his life. He had
q fiVe-dollar bill in his pocket.
YES" he said; take me up to the
Fifth Avenue hotel"
II was the first place that had come
into his mind. He got into the cab,
and snapped the door. The cushioned
seat and the comfortable support for
his head we're very refreshing.
fancy came to him that he would dine
decently and then go to theater. The
extravaganza would be trifiing, for it
was really of small Importance whether
he starved to death on Sunday or the
following Wednesday. He was in
mood to make a jest of it all.
A strong glare from an electric light
lstruck down into the carriage, and
made visible to him a package In
brown paper, that looked as if it might
be a sandwich. The object protruded
must be the claimants supper which
had been hidden in some small locker
and had fallen upon the floor. The idea
that the food should be spoiled was dis
agreeable to Herrick, and so he picked
np the little brown bundle.
!; It was smaller than he had supposed,
and it did not feel like bread. But had
it been food and he at the last pang Of
starvation, the touch of it would not
have sent such thrill through all his
frame.
He knew that the contents of that
package was money. 1t felt like mass
of bills folded, awkwardly wrapped up,
and fastened with elastic bands.
Through the brown covering Herrick
could feel the crispness of the govern
ment paper. The amount might be a
poor mans monthly wages or rich
mans profit on great transaction.
AS to his own conduct in this matter,
Hcrrick had no doubt whatever. Fate
had thrown the money into his hands,
and fate might take it away, but not if
he could hold on tightly enough. His
fingers trembled as he picked at the
elastic bands. Suddenly and without
his knowing why, the rubber strings
vanished with a loud snap that startled
him, and the package sprang open on
his knees. He caught flash of green
color, and then the cab rolled out OF
Light into shadow.
1t seemed long time before another
light struck in upon him. AT the mo,
ment when it did so he saw a face close
70 the cab door and he lodged back
towering the bills with his hands. But
the chance passenger on the street saw
nothing; he was thinking of his own
affairs, no doubt, and had no inkling OF
the strange thing that passed SO close
TO his eyes.
Herrick was himself again in a
moment, and he bent forward, eagerly
scanning the bills in his hands, and
counting them feverishly. There were
20 of them, and each was of the denomi
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