Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1897-05-19
JUST INSTINCT.

sport, but Herrick was of the opinion
that 1t could not last much longer. He
had run this way and that way, and a
thousand times he had fancied that he
was going to escape. But always the
velvet paws, with the long, sharp claws
spIlnglN, out of them, had caught him
just Ill 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 We're like the
thoughts that whirled through his brain
they were shadows, and the everlast-
ing train of them had no beginning or
end. He could not distinguish the real
mon 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 did not
mind those. But there were others that
he shrank from.
He stood with his back against the
iron fence i'll front of Trinity church.
Herrick's hands We're 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 not
picture it. AL the lines of his life SEEM
ed to end i'll a 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.
! He crossed Broadway and walked
down Wall street, slowly and with hest
tatlon, 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.
rs it possible, " he said to himself,
"that I 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 a day of his life. He had
q SIS bill in his pocket.
YES" he said. "Take me up to the
Fifth Avenue hotel.'
1t 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 heaG
We're very refreshing. A fancy came t.
him that he would. dine decently anc
| then 20 to theater. The extravaganza
would be trifing for it was really O
small importance whether he starved tt
death on Sunday or the following
Wednesday, He was in mood to make
a jest of it all.
| A strong glare from an electric ligh
struck down into the carriage and mad
| vioanic' TO him package in brown pa
per that looked as if it might be sand
wich The object protruded from unde
| the seat. He thought it must be TIN
claimants supper which had been hidde,
in some small locker and had fallel
upon the floor The idea that the foot
should be spoiled was disagreeable t.
Herrick, and SO he picked up the littl
brown bundle.
1t was smaller than he had supposed
and it did not feel like bread. But hat
it been food and he at the last pang o
starvation the touch, of it would no
have sent such thrill through all hi
frame.
He knew that the contents of tina
package We're money. 1t felt like mas
of bills folded, awkwardly wrapped u
and fastened with elastic bands
Through the brown covering Herricl
could feel the crispness Of the govern
ment paper. The amount might be
poor mans monthly wages or a ricl
mans profit on great transaction.
AS to his own conduct in this matter
| Har,.ioL bo1 NY Jo,, hi xrb of Fof
had thrown this money into his hands
and fate might take it way, but not j
he could hold on tightly enough. Hi
fingers trembled as he picked at tn
elastic bands. Suddenly and withou
his knowing why the rubber string
vanished with loud snap that startle
him, and the package sprang open O
his knees. He caught flash of gree
J color, and then the cab rolled out c
light into shadow.
1t seemed a long time before anothe
light struck in upon him. At the me
ment when it did so he saw face clos
to the cab door, and he lodged bach
covering the bills with his hands. Blu
the chance passenger on the street sa,
nothing He was thinking of his ow
affairs no doubt and had no inkling {
the strange thing that passed SO close t
his eyes.
Herrick was himself again in me-
ment, and he bent forward, eagerl
scanning the bills in his hands an
counting them feverishly. There wei
! 40 of them and each was of the demon
| nation of 81 900
Throughout the later period of I'll
young mans misfortunes he had ha
substantially but one wish-to res
Rest has many forms, suited to va!
variety of individual tastes. To Herric
in his day dreams it had always take
r the form of travel without care. A
paths lie open for man who has $40
600, and there is no reason why cal
should sit behind him as he rides.
Herrick had only the most shadow
8 thought for the person who had lost tn
money. He did not even speculate upo
c the. manner of its loss 1t had passe
into the control of one who needed i
/. and that was enough.
E He disposed the notes in his poke
in the best interests of comfort and SAT
: ty. Then he folded up the brown pap'
e ard pOcketed that also. with dim col