The Grit-advocate., 1905-12-08

Just off the street, In narrow alley
that reeked with the scent OF garbage,
rested large dry goods box. and in
the box crouched the figure of mar
trying to shield himself from the fall
ing rain. The faint lights of the street
,gIimmered in front of him, but none
of the rays penetrated to his place OF
refuge. The man. had been sitting
there for some time in silence and mo-
tionless. At last he muttered:
There's nothing to it, why keep it
up?"
Then he relapsed into silence again
for another half hour. At the end of
this time he muttered again:
mo; there's nothing to it-and why
keep it up?"
Silence again for moment, then:
whats to gain anyhow by keeping
up the fight? Nothing. Who's to care
If | drop it? No one. There'll be an
end to everything. All will be blank,
no feeling either good or bad, no more
misery, no cold or hunger, nothing, abb
solutely nothing it's pleasant to
think that there will be nothing to
feel. Maybe there's a soul. II so. 1t
will go darting here and there through
space like the pollen sheath of grass
stalks in a varying breeze"
He fell into silence once more and
listened to the patter of the rain on
the top of his box while his thoughts
ran over and over the same line OF
reasoning.
"Yes, I'll do it." He caught the
edge of the box to pull himself up
from his crouching position. 1T will
be a very easy thing to do, much
easier than to hold on another twenty
four hours. Yet there's something
that tugs at my determination scme-
how. But it is OFF, declare it t. be
off now"
He crept out Of the box and turned
In the direction of the North river.
The rain beat upon his head. but he
seemed to care no longer for that He
had thrust his hands into his pockets
and his shoulders had dropped forward
as IL he carried weight on his back.
He walked slowly, sometimes stop
ping still for an instant, as though
he still argued with himself.
1t was more than half a mile to the
North river at the point which he
sought, an abandoned portion of a
rotting old wharf. There were no
nearby lights, and the place was
murky and dismal The surroundings
suited the mood of the man and en-
couraged his determination. He con-
tinued on across the planking which
was curled and followed and twisted
from the contending forces of the
dampness from below and the sun
shine of the day from above. Oc-
casionally weak board gave way
lust a little beneath his feet, and in
voluntarily he sprang forward to a
sounder part of the flooring. Reach
ing the edge he leaned against piece
of piling which extended above the
wharf, and looked down toward the
waters. He could not see the line
where they played against the tim
bers of the wharf but he knew that
it was just four feet down at this
point. No sound came to his ears
above the tapping of the waves
against the timbers for some time,
for the rain had almost ceased,
though no stars were visible over
head.
mo, there's nothing to 1t, and I'll
not keep it up; though l shall just
stand here little while longer. just
while l am feeling no particular in
disposition, either mentally or physic-
ally"
He continued to gaze toward the
waters of the river. A half hour pass
ed. Then sound came to the mans
ear that was not from the river. Foot