The suburban citizen., 1902-04-05
COUNTRY AND CITY MILES.
Reasons Why One Seems to the Pedestrian
Much Larger Than the other.

AtCUkOnH w ny OHc seems TO the Io0GsIrAAD
Much Larger Than the other.
81 have observed curious thing
about distances" said "a thoughtful
citizen yesterday, "and l have heard
many persons comment on the same
thing but l have never seen any salts
factory explanation of it. In fact, L
suppose nearly every person who has
had an opportunity to contrast condl-
tlons as they exist in cities with the
more open conditions in rural sections
has observed the same thing. At any
rate, most men are inclined to regard
the city mile as somewhat shorter than
the country mile. or course there are
many things which will suggest them
selves in explanation Of this matter, if
we think about it seriously, and yet
they are not at all satisfactory when
we weigh the problem analytically.
Suppose we walk the distance.
Along the llna Of the city mile we find
many things which will crowd into
the mind, pictures along the way,
pretty trade displays in show windows,
handsome buildings men and women
bustling hither and thither, and n thou
sand and one other things common
enough on the city thoroughfares,
things which produce a series of
psychological effects which deaden to
some extent the idea OF distance, and,
consequently, the city mile is seeming
ly shortened On the other hand, the
country mile, to the average person
who has no taste for the artistic and
can see no beauty in the ruggedness
Of the hedges, is simply a long and
barren stretch. But thus far am
threshing over old straw This is the
common view of the matter, and no
loubt these psychological processes
play an important part in determining
he impressions received with reference
to distances under the different con-
ditions 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
Il Iults man w III W dlh Il hlAAN III thN
city in two-thirds of the time it will
take him to walk a mile IN the country.
Ordinarily it would seem that the shoe
would be on the other foot There Is
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 the
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. Every
body is going at breakneck 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 jostled about by
men and women going in opposite di-
rectons, in spite Of delays at crossings
caused by passing cars and vehicles of
every kind, the pedestrian is worked
up to a quicker movement.
Excitement is the thing that dead
ems the idea Of distance and makes 1t
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 two-thirds of
the time required to walk the same dis
tance in the country, and the difference
between a dirt road and paved street
for walking purposes has but little to
do with it."-New Orleans Times-Den-
ocrat.