The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-25
PREoCCUpIED ON THE STREETS.
The People Who Talk or Sing to Themselves
on the Highway.

oh tho -"
I'm Watching the expression OF the people on
the streets, said the man who observes things.
Il have noticed that it is only children and very
young people who wear absolutely placid coun-
tenances. The others carry their look Of worry
along with them. often exhibiting writhinG lips
and flashing eyes to the public at large while
they mutter their thoughts in audible sem
tcnces. half OF which you catch on the wing as
you pass by.
Its a more common thing to see this in a
woman than in q man. perhaps because women
are more given to worry and to showing It.
Once a woman passing me on Broadway ex-
claimed Oh. my! Oh. my!' and went on before
] could catch a glimpse of her face. She was
quite alone. consequently she must have been
communing with herself. found myself Won
dering what in the world could be the matter.
1t may have been that she was anxious to
catch a street car which she discovered was
about to leave her in the lurch. or her tooth
ached. ora tight shoe pinched her toe, but that
on. my" of hers, stayed with me awhile. 1t
had a tragic ring. thought.
talking to himself. He was. on Fifth avenue:
wrinkles. He frowned and stared straight
ahead Of him muttcring. Curiosity getting the
f%r t : [s Sf me mem l turned H and bs wal5e % by his iisu s ints
wildly. beating the atmosphere in his immedi-
ate vicinity, with his, large hands. To think!
It 40 IL lux tIIhi L SUZUKI luNt ~ :
thing / had on TammanyI To think that l
didn't have sense enough to put up a single
dollar on the other side! Now, where am 2
And he proceeded to apply such explosive epi-
thets to himself that i became frightened and
beat q hasty retreat.
II find that people not only talk and %gesticu;
late upon the street. but they hum and sing and
whistle Going DOWN in the elevated train, one
morning | sat by a woman who hummed all the
way. listened, trying to make out the tune
she was humming.. 1t sounded familiar 1t
was q little like The Last Rose of Summer
but l wasn't quite sure. At any. rate she
hummed it straight along, stopping, for a
the station. then falling to humming again. |
half expected to hear her break into outright
singing. ] hoped she might. wanted to see
the effect of 1t on the other people in the car,
but she didn't. She only hummed. When we
stopped at the Twenty-eighth street station she
arose and, gathering up her belongings. walked
TO the door. | could hear her hum until she
II find that cumming or singing on the
streets and in the cars is not confined to the
women. The men also hum. Walking down
Seventh avenue one Sunday afternoon i passed
an old man-that is. / started to pass him., but
| walked. slowly along, with him when ! heard
enjoying himself. He was singing these words
to the tune Of Yankee Doodle:
"Tum tum tum te. tuIn to tum,
Tum tum tum te tim, tum.
Tum tum tum to tum tie tum to,
Tum to tum to tum. tum.
Il walked right along with him. keeping
step to the tune as far as the Park. and when I
left him he was still singing. It wasn't eX-
nctly n Sunday tune. but II was a good tune in
evident enjoyment that l was half sorry to
leave him."