The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-01-16
A MATTER
OF
AN INSTINCT.
BY Evsrtt HOlbrook.


He had run this way anu that way,
and n thousand times he had fancied
that he was going TO escape. But al
ways the velvet paws, with the long.
sharp claws spring!ha out OF them, had
caught him just in time. So at last he
NY sIll. not knowing which way to
turn.
lie was in a big city, all alone. The
people who rushed by him were like
the thoughts that whirled through his
brain; they we're shadows. amt the
everlasting train of them had no be-
ginning nor end. He could not d.s'ln-
guish the real men and women whom
he saw from those whom he merely re-
membercd. Now and again there APP
peared in the thgong 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 felRupon hurTyinS thou
sands who did not notice.itA
Herrick's hands were in his pockets.
He crumpled a cracking piece of pa
per which meant that he could live
several DAYS longer II he cared to do so.
AS 10 a more extended future, he
could not 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 Q o'clock TIL the crowd In that
mart OF Broadway Is rich and prosper
Gus; from till st boasts OF wealthy
connections and takes a strong inter
est IN life; after II loses caste rapid
~, and by It is lot OF weary people
going home to supper. Herrick felt the
deaeneracy OF the throng withoutreally
seeing It. II whole street full Of peo-
pie could get shabby in an hour was
1t any wonder that he had done 1t In
five years.
He crossed Broadway and walked
down Wall street, slowly and with hes
ttation, for he had no GRAND. A voice
cried, cab. sir!" almost In his ear.
He turned and looked up at the man
on the box.
as it possible" he said to himself,
'that ] sim look like gentleman
He felt toward the cabman as to-
ward one who had given him 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.
AGsB lAE oehlNAt AthANI AiAN W W VIZ
Fifth Avenue Hotel"
1t was the first place that had come
into mis- mind. He got into the cab, and
snapped the door. The cushioned seat
and the comfortable support for his
head were very refreshing. A fancy
came to him that he would dine de-
Gently and then 80 to a theater. The
extravaganza would be trifling. for II
was really of small importance wheth
,, 80, 30 an CttnHaNF NJ
the following Wednesday. He was in n
mood to make jest of It ALL
A strong glare from an electric li9ht
struck down into the carriage and
made visible to him a package In
brown paper that looked rs Il might be
a sandwich. The object protruded from
Under the seat. He thought II must be
the cabman's supper which had been
hidden in some small locker and had
fallen upon the floor. The Idea that the
food should be spoiled was disagree
able 10 Herrick, and so he picked up
the little brown bundle. tss
1t was smaller than he had supposed,
and It did not feel like bread. But had
X been food and he at the lact panS
OF starvation, the touch OF IL would not
have sent such thrill through all his
frame.
he knew that the contents OF that
VhEAANSG Wea AAAgANgs IL AEAkHAAhG a mas"
OF bills folded. awlSwardly wrapped up
and fastened with elastic bands.
Through the brown covering Herrlck
could feel the cTispness OF me govern
Inent paper. The amount might be a
door mans monthly wages o. n rich
mans profit on great Transaction.
As to his own conduct In this mat
ter. HerrIck had no doubt whatever.
Fate had thrown this money into his
Nd fsrh tala II
but not n he could hold on tightly
enough. His fingers tremhled as he
picked at the elastic bands. Suddenly.
and without knowing why, the rubber
strings vanished With a loud snap that
startled him, and the package sprung
open on his knees. He caught fash
of green color, and then the cab rolled
out of light into shadow
It seemed a long time before another
Hight struck in upon him. Al the mo-
5nent when II did so he saw a 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 o. his own
affairs. no doubt, and had NJ inkling OF
the strange thing that passed so close
20 his eyes.
Herricli was himself again In mo-
tncnt, and he bent forward eagerly
counting them feverishlv. There were
forty OF them. and each was of the de-
nomination OF $1,000.
Throughout tho later period Of the
young mans misfortunes he had had
substantially but one wlsh--to rest.
Rest has many forms. suited to vast
variety OF individual tastes. To Herrlck
in his day-dreams II had always ia
ken the form Of travel without care All
.,.tha Ito oman for n man who hn9 I'm
900, and there Is no reasonably care
should sit behind him as he rides
Eerrlck had only the most Shad0wy
Thought for the person who had lost
4his money. He did not even speculate
upon the manner or It's loss. II had
passed into the control of one who
needed It, and that was enough,
He disposed the notes In his pockets
IN tho best interests Of comfort and
safety. Then he folded up the brown
paper and pocketcd that also. with n
dim consciousness that. &c II we're left
in the cab. Il might get the driver into
trouble. The fellow was honest, no
doubt. and Berrick did not wtgh that
he ehould suffer wrong, He preferred
10 keep the wrapper himself and take
the risk Of II until he could find some
means of disposing Of II that would be
eater than throwing Il out OF the cab
window.
How to leave the cub was qucstlon
which concerned him nearly. re did
not wish to confront The driver, FOR
there might be an investigation, and
uucstion OF Identification might arise.
In which case Il would be well 20 have
the man know as little ~ possible or
lfcrricis's personal appearance. he re-
IIected with salts faction that the spot
on Wall street where he had entered