Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1910-12-28
LIFE 4! Ns!rv,i yany
How II May Run In a Deep Ru!
In the Matter of Locality.
LAMENT OF A MAN WHO MOVED
The Homssieknsss That Came With
Working Uptown After Twenty
Year, Of Routine Travel to and From
end In the Downtown District.

Year, OF Routine Travel to and From
end In the Downtown District.
There arc thousands and thousands
OF men In New York city whose busi-
ness has been confined to one district !
Tor twenty years or more, whose daily |
routine seldom Huctuates, who are
punctual in travelling by n certain
train every day in the week. who reach
their ofhces. barring tie-ups. at a regu.
lar hour and take up their daily grind
and hold to It until the hour OF closing.
Many OF these men unconsciousiy get
to know and make friends Of people
whose names they never learn. They
become attached to localities In q
strange sort Of way and do not realize
how strong Is the attachment Here
Is the story OF one OF them into whose
LIE there has come a change through
moving that startles and surprises
him and throws a quaint light upon
some OF the city's people.
I'm the twenty years that I wat
downtown" the man said In telling his
experience, II was In the habit, wealth
er permitting. Of taking a walk after
the luncheon hour every day in some
street between City Hall and the Bat
terry. l have footed every bit Of I'M
built ground In that territory. What
marvellous changes have come In those
twenty years. How many signs on
buildings have changed In that time.
How many houses have been pulled
down. How many new ones have gonc
up. some Of them towering skyward.
to take the places OF the landmarksI
81 got TO know the lower end of
town so we'll could shut my eyes and
make a mental picture Of many OF the
blocks and see the names on the build
ings. II l wanted any article, from
shoelaces TO anything elaborate, knew
exactly where TO get them. II some
particular dish were desired ] knew
where II could be served and Just what
II would cost.
a great city never stands stiH 1t
is as restless 0s the great deep. But
the man who becomes a part of It
does not think until he gets away FROM
the part Of Il where he has done hrSi-
ness what the changes are. WN.n !
began my strOlls there were no tun-
nels under the two rivers In the
years that have drifted away great
bridges have been constructed ha-
tween Manhattan and Long Island.
II does not seem long since | used To
hear the restless pun Of the coal fed
locomotives Of the elevated system,
yet so gradually cid the Old order pass
that l do not distinctly recall when
the present SYSTEM was Installed
THE changes that took place IN
business firms were Interesting. Many
many tirncs / have seen the name OF
the man who esta hlished a trade taken
down ard that OF his son or sons take
its place. So frequently were the
same people met In the sarle place
and Mt the same hour that we nodded
az we passed. although none of us
knew the name of the nodder.
Not long ago the business with
Which I am connected made q tumI
uptown Never until / took my trap.
uptown had any occasion to walk II
the street where our new building
stands. The frst day / went out t
luncheon / had to search for a res
taurant. Il seemed odd. saw PEG
pie I never saw before. I read signs
one OF my fool hsbits-I never reat
before. Many OF the vehicles tha
passed were quite unlike those use,
, to sec downtown.
II had to change my hour and rout
for coming to business. For awhile
had to watch the street signs to know
where to get OF. How I missed tn
familiar call OF the guard OF the car
, for ! always came down in the sam
car In the makeup OF the elevate,
train-the one always boarded q
: the same hour.
And that makes me think. l cam
to know by their faces most OF tn
0 passengers who boarded that train q
my station. l knew where most o
them got OF. Now that ] am In new
( quarters In a new section I miss a.
these people with whom / Travelled 70
PEARS. Do they miss me. wonderi
= And the many whom I came I
know downtown-how they will
missed! There Is the old street preach
or who used to stand on a soap bo
near Wall street or ON the stone step
OF the custom house and talk to peopl
!, In the summer days and again In tn
days that betokened the coming OF 81
;. tumn- Then there were the Lente
- days when l spent a part Of my hou
+, at Trinity or In old st. Paul's. ] cam
!, to know the regular attendants o
those services SO that the stranger
, became conspicuous. There are q
Is street preachers In the new district .
:" which I have gone. I wonder VIII
the middle district Of the great eft
doesn't need spiritual direction as we