Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-03-13

Reasons why One seems Much Longe,
Than The Other.
New Orleans Times pemocut
II have observed a curious thing,
about distances, said a thoughtful
citizen yesterday, "and ! have heard
many persons comment ON the Same
thing, but have never seen any salts.
factory explanation of it, In fact,
suppose nearly every person who .;ls
had an opportunity t. contrast condi-
tinns as they exist IN Hiiip5 Will t}a#
more open conditions in rural sections
has observed the same thing. An ,uyI
rate, most men are inclined to regard
the city mile as somewhat shorter lA&nl
the country mile OF course, there arel
many things which will suggest tiem
selves in explanation Of this matter, i'll
we think about IL seriously. and vet
they are nnr AT all satisfactory WI n
we weigh the problem analeticaily.
Suppose we walk The distaHra,
Along the line of the city mile VI and
many things which viii crowd int b. ID
mind--pictures Glong tho way, ~. ~
trade displays III snow wintaws, .a# =
some buildings, men au,i vuG,cn
bustling hitLIer and thitAcr an. a
thousand and ono other rhjugs "oolH Il
enough on the city thuruIShlar
things which produce res
psychological effects wtiel, donteU 10
some extent the idea of distance, a.u,
consequently, the city milo is seem,
ingly shortened. On the other Ill.,
the country mile, to the ayeeag png
who has no taste for the artistic *
can see no beauty in the ruggrinc. i
fence corners ana in the trcanlaRjs Ut
the. hedges, is simply LEM aDG barron
stretch. But thus far Lam ;HrtsU
over old straw. This il tac CONN
view of the matter, and no doubt these
psychological processes play an IN
portant part in determining the Il.
pressions received with reference in
distances under the different conditions
assumed.
But here is the particular thing
would like to call your attention To.
The city mile will be made in much
less time than the country mile. AS
a rule IA man will walk mile in the
city in two thirds the time it will taE3
him TO walk a mile in the country.
Ordinarily it would seem that the shoe
would be on the other foot. There is
so much to arrest his attention, TO
stop him and to consume his time. In
the country the way is clear, and there
is nothing for a man to do but hustle
for his destination. OF course, the
walking is better in the city because
of good sidewalks and the lift of tic
feet is not so heavy. But the main
reason for the shorter time required. in
my opinion, is found in the stimulus
which the city pedestrian receives
from the excitement around him.
Everybody is going at breaknecS
speed; everybody is hustling. There
is noise and hustle, and in spite of the
fact that his attention is arrested, and
in spite OF being bumped and jo:tled
about by men and women going in
opposite directions, in spite OF delays
at crossings caused by passing cars and
vehicles of every kind, the pedestrian
is worked up to quicker movement.
Excitement is the thing that
deadens the idea of distance and makes
it seem so much shorter in the city
than in the country, and excitement is
the thing which causes a man to walk
mile in the city in Just tw6-t thirds
of the time required to walk the same
distance in the country, and the differ
ence between a dirt road and u paved
street for walking purposes has but
little N do with it. -