New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-26
PENTHOUSE DIVERSIONS.
PROBLEMS TO sTAvE OFF sLEEPINEss IN
THE WEARY WATCHES OF THE NIGHT.

THE WEARY WATCHES OF THE NIGHT.
In the lonely watches OF the night and the early
hours Of the morning the ticket sellers. choppers
the other attaches of the lighthouses the rivers
find that the time hangs heavily their hands
The travel is exceedingly light. and scarcely enough
people pass through the ferry gates to keep the
employees awake. The hardly be blamed
II they doze off at these times. They don't like
to do IT, however because II they DO they are like
ly to wake up with sharp twinges OF rheumatism
shooting through their frames. due TO the drafts
of cold night air which blow through the houses
To keep themselves awake the men have tried
many little diversions. and OF late those In one
ferryhouse on the East River have cultivated the
mathematical problem habit. They have found
the habit good one because II not only Keeps
them awake. but 1t sharpens their mental faculties
well. Many of the regular patrons OF the ferry
at late hours have also acquired the habit from
the ferrymen. The boats run at SO long Intervals
that the would-be passengers have to wait general
ly from fifteen to thirty minutes Tor boat' ana
they now spend the time In firing prooiems al the
ferryhands and trying to stave OF the mental
broadsdes that the latter send back In return.
In the old days-or rather nights-the passengers
would pass through the ferryhouse in condi-
ton bordering seepwakng. but now they are
bright and clipper IL they had just arisen
from a good sleep instead Of being on their way
home from work.
About a. m. conversations like the roiio"ihe nfo
now often heard:
',Ah. good morning: how you? BY the way
l was thinking over that problem which you gave
me yesterday morning. and the moro tnouBn
over II the more mixed up l got
rs that so? Well, thought II would puzzle you
a bit"
That's all right but I'll bet you that can do IT,
don't think that got It quite right. Did you say
that seven cats killed seven rats or seventeen
rats?''
I'm give II to you again II seven cats kill seven
how ma
to kill one hundred rats In fifty minutesT'
BY this time another passenger comes In, and as
he puts down his money he calculates:
Fourteen hundred CATS!
How do YOU make that out?" asks the ticket
seller
"Whv - Il takes seven cats seven minutes to Kill
seven rats Il would take one cat seven minutes TO
Kill one rat. Therefore. 4 It takes one cat seven
minutes TO kill rat. 1t would take seven cats 10
kill one rat in minute and seven hundreds CATS
Kill enc hundred rats in one hundred minutes ana
fourteen hundred cats to kill one hundred rats IN
fifty minutes
come off," shouts the ticket-chopper, and there is
a general laugh all around.
Forty cats" exclams tho next man. as he passes
through.
Not on your life" says the ticket man.
I'm prove 1t 10 you" replies the passenger
"All aboard" shouts the gateman. and there Is
rush for the boat
Quiet reigns for few moments after the depart
ure Of the boat. and then passengers begin to
arrive.
Here I've got one for YOU" says the first pas
senger who buys ticket. III man sells two
horses for $50 each and makes Is per cent on the
sale Of and loses 70 per cent on The sale OF the
O:her how much did he pay for each horse. and how
much does he make or lose by the whole transac-
tion?"
oh here" exclaims the ticket nan. you must
give time on that Ii is hummer and no mis-
take Write II down Will YOU and I'll give you the
tomorrow night"
The ferry men have now something 20 keep them
awake for the remaining hours OF their watch, but
for all that they lie In wait TO Are another problem
at the mex; passenger. Before the victim gets
through counting out his pennies one OF them says:
"A boy Is locked up In Jail. and nobody but those
who can show that they are relatives are permitted
10 BEE him by the rules OF the prison. A man ap-
plies for admission the gate. and when the keeper
asks him II he Is a relative Of the boy he says:
" Brothers and sisters have none. but this boys
father my fathers SON. Now. what relation
the man to the boy7'
"Hully gee. but you fellers are getting II tonight
for fact" excaims deckhand as he comes Into
the PENTHOUSE for another dose OF mental food.
They are coming pretty strong. that's fact" re-
plies the ucket-chopper. and when the next boat
goes every man left In the ferryhouse IL fgur-
Ing away II his life depended on his solving the
problems which have been put before him.