New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-22
SOME MINOR ANNOTANCES.

NOML ~ y ON Nv NOl iN' IN.
The transportation companies are responsible
for much Of the discomfort experienced by their
patrons but not for all. Many passengers are
themselves grievous sinners In this respect
Take. for Instance. the man who makes mad
rush to get off IN elevated train just n the
gates are about To close. 1t Is really discour-
aging TO enter n protest against this most Of
fcnsvc person for the more he Is held up 10
public odum the more he seems 10 thrive. He
generally stands in the middle Of the most
crowded ear he can find, though for that matter
almost any car Is crowded enough for his pur-
pose Then just IA the guard II about 10 pull the
bcropc for the train to start he begins his great
human catapult act Helpless women and chill
dren and even strong men. are rulhlesSly
moved down by Him. Perhaps he succeeds in
getting Off the train. or perhaps hr doesn't
That is "A mere detail. The important fact for
him is that he has exhibited his porclnc nature
in mode best calculated 10 distress and annoy
other people And he Is therefore happy in his
caous and selfish way
There is something amusing about the man
who allows himself the narrOwest possible mar
gin of time to catch his boat or his train though
in an incidental way he also is frequently IL
cause of annoyance 10 people. This is an lido.
mutcrs. In many cases they are obliged to
make exceedingly close connections But who
does not know commuters who do 80 for sheer
love of the excitement they derive from II?
Moreover, it ministers TO mans pride mt any
rate, most commuters think to be able 10
say that he can make his train or bont in
minute less time than 1t takes other people TO
make It, 1t makes no difference to such men
hpV m "A lu Nc I'm In unn Ito La trim
by walking slowly. Rather than do that they
would sit idly in their home or office until their
watch tells them that they will have to make
as only commuters can be- Dignity thrown to
the wind and with coat-talls flying In the air
they execute what might appropriately he
called the commuters sprint" Year after
year this Is their wont, and not even the fact
that they are carrying a bundle which, Of
course, all true commuters -lntcrfcrcs with
their practice They simply make time al
lowancc for the bundle a handicap and forge
ahead. They are very funny, and as we have
SAID sometimes incidentally annoying to those
who happen TO be in their path when they make
their daily race against time.
But. after all, 1t is easy to forgive good deal
to commucr. He is generally such an all
around good fellow, and carries bundles with
such heavenly patience, that one is willing even
to be knocked down by him once in Il while
How entertaining are his chronicles OF Lonely
Vile. And how he pities you for living IN the
isolation OF the great city, and thus missing the
perennial excitcments of Lonclyvillc. How
but this Is not an essay on the commuter and
we hasten. therefore, 10 resume the thread Of
our discourse by calling attention to the man
in the city who PUSHES for an elevated train mt
the risk of his life and TO the no small discoln-
fort Of other passengers He acts rs though n
fortune depended on his getting to his office mt
II certain moment. Doubtless some of his more
charitable victims offer that excuse for him.
But. as a matter Of fact when he gets off the
train he spends fifteen minutes, maybe gazing
into the shop windows or taking Il drink
soft drink. let US hope-with n friend. Lie
spends n matter Of an hour and half at his
lunch, and Is yet able TO start for home mt
about o'clock. Nevertheless. though he doesn't
have TO get home at a specified minutc-in fact
not till dinner-time-the chances are that he
will make another mad rush for an uptown
elevated train. Every one who travels about
the city has met many such men Ordinarily
they are pleasant and kindly fellows, and GER
tany exhibit no signs OF insanity But the
desire to catch any train they happen to see
ready to draw from the station has become a
mania with them. and they find themselves
wholly unable to resist II.
Then. there are the men-and truth compels