New-York tribune., 1891-05-03
CLINGING TO THE STRAP.
AN ODD PHASE OF NEw-YoRK LIFE-sTRAP
MLXIMS AND INCIDENTS.

MhXIMS AND INCIDENTS.
small man with q clam shaped month and pre-
cipous shoulders hung to strap on Sixth-ave
elevated train and whenever IL stopped and started
he wobbled about and trod on six or eight feet and
after apologlzing several times. he remarked
al don't kick about hanging to strap. It's done me
good turn
How sop inquired the next strapper with some in
terest.
"Wel I was in Chicago last month";" replied the
man with the clam-shaped mouth, shifting the strap
to the other hand, and had a rough time. Hadn't
been there twenty -four hours when detective mis-
took for red-headed burglar from Iowa, and
ran me in. When they brought up in court,
says: 'Jedge, ant burglar i never was In
Ioway, I'm a New Yorker
"'Kin you prove IT, says he
al cam says !.
"'Witnessesp
"'liands,' says /.
"'IIandsr p says he, looking surprised.
"'Yes hands, says, shown' up my palms, look
at the callus em.'
"'What Of itp
"Jedge,' says ]. soemnly, Il haven't been in this
town but twenty four hours. I don't know a soul
in Chicago but You and the dufer that ran me in,
born in New York. ] live Sixty-nnth-st.,
four doors from the Boulevard, and that caus comes
from hanging to straps the elevated railroad
"The jedge looked at me hard for about three
minutes and then he says quickly: 'Oficer, let this
New York man go. If what he says is true reckon
there amt law in Illinois that'n make him more
miserable than he is.''
1t requires considerable philosophy 10 hang to a
strap in elevated train morning and evening. day
after day. most New Workers do. Possibly the fol-
lowing rules and maxims may be useful
When seats and straps all occupied, passengers
without them will not need either
Passengers not allowed to put their heads and
ont of the windows unless there is room for
their extremites within the
paesa IN
II there Is no room anywhere else, the company
earnestly advises trying the next train.
II. while holding to strap. you step on the feet OF
a passenger who is seated do not apologize. The
sitter is glad enough to have the seat to take the dis
comforts with ii.
The engineer Will increase speed going around
corners. his object being TO frighen old ladies and
upset careless strappers.
You not expected to give up your strap to lady,
| When the guard says Plenty of in The centre
of the car, gents, stroll up and occupy it, lie knows
better than you it must be there.
Never quarrel a strap. Yield gracefully, and
If you can't stand alone going around curves, there
laps all about you 10 fall into.
Conquer the habit Of giving up your seat 10 the
II you do not, you viii be strapper foc life
He was a dyspepticlooklng man, with a mustache
| like barbcd wire fence, and bald spots his
coat where the nap had stopped sproutlng. He hung
10 strap a Slxthave. train and wler the engineer
put double speed to urch around the at Fifty
thrdst he trod all the feet around him, and then
woke up to conversation with friend.
"Oh Pm an old hand at boarding houses" he said,
with a sort OF hall bedroom boarder chuckle. "Ive
sampled pretty nearly every boarding house between
Thirty thrd-st and Fourteenth-st. / never stay over
three months in house-sort OF size 1t up and
| move on'
"what makes You do that ?" inquired a friend
| well, Pm terrible kicker begin to kick, and
than putu hepa am uOW U ar
eleven months"
"Nothng to kick about 2"
"well, no. I've tried the other plan. The land
lady has a daughter, and when anything is wrong
bring her up y cents worth Of flowers or candy, and
/ tell yOn things move.'
Bad plan,' said the friend, sententiously.
| @whyi"
"Dont pay attention to the landlady's daughter"
"Nothng Of the kind" said the dyspeptlc-looking
She does
| "Whatin
She thinks you mean TO marry her"
sOh she couldn't" said the strap-clinging boardcr.
albeit trfe redder and then there was silence I'LL
| "John.n
Il think I'll move over on East Elghteenthst. next
SWhatn the landlady's daughter sayi'
"Well, I-that is-fact Is she's going too"
al am afraid he murmured apologeticaIly. as he
| squeezed 800 pounds Of American citizen into an
| already overuowded elevated and mopped his
brow Pm afraid shape amt suited to this crowd
| Perfect IT." remarked one man. Come in ald
| sit down on strap
-" You see" continued the huge newcomer. glancing
afectonately at a square yard OF wsstc0at Il was
raised up to sodus in this state and had ten
acre lot 70 swell in The only trains up there that's
lammed like this in cattle trains. The people some
how or other are foolish enough to think men and
women are Of some account and they ought 10 have
plenty Of ROOM
| Absurd idea,' said the man In bottle .coored
trousers. Here In NewNork prefer a crowd; we
Ike 10 push. squeeze and swear
There silence while the pressure in the car
increased at Foureenth-st and when the train turned
the below Eighth-st., the rcd from which the
straps depend fairly bent with the swaying OF tho
| pOnder0us form from sodus lie clung 10 the strap
| and mOpped his brow with alternate hands-greW
| fdgetty and purple, and finally he said
"rve got TO stand this sort Of thing to Cortlandt-
| ST.. ] suppose. | can't turn around 10 see who's
netln in the small Of my back. but I'D like TO state
| that this strap Is Dustin and when IL does and