The St. Johns herald., 1897-03-13
A AMATTEROFINSTI

Fate was a cat and Leonard Herrick was q mouse. There had been some rare sport, but Herrick was of the opin- ion that it could not last much longer. He had run this way and that way, and thousand times he had fancied that he was going to escape. But al- ways the velvet paws, with the long, sharp claws springing out of them, had caught him just in time. So at last he lay still, panting, 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 ey- erlasting train of them had no begin the real men and women whom he saw from those whom he merely remem- bered. 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 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 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 not picture it. All the lines of his life by no means be united, but must merely he dropped. He remembered that there were miracles, but he could not think of one to wish for.
 From o'clock till the crowd in that part of BrOadway-is rich and prosper ous; from to it boasts of wealthy connections and takes strong interest in life; after , it loses caste rapidly, and by 6 it is lot of weary people going home to supper. Herrick felt the de- generacy of the throng without really seeing it. If q whole street full of peo- pie could get shabby in an hour, was fl any wonder that he had done it in five years?
 He crossed Broadway and walked down Wall street, slowly and with hes itation, 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, ''that l still look like a gentlemanw
 He Ielt toward the cabman as toward 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 a $5 bill in his pocket.
 Yes" he said; take me up to the Fifth Avenue Hotel"
 It 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 were refreshing. A fancy came to him that he would dine. decently and thep go to theater. The extravaganza would be trif1ing, for it was really of small importance whether he starved to death on Sunday or the following Wednesday. He was in a mood to make a jest of It all.
 strong glare from an electric light struck down into the carriage. and made visible to 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 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 dis agreeable to Herrick and so he picked up the little brown bundle.
 It was smaller than he had supposed,