New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-06-02

w IHENCE are they coming ana
NJ whittier are they going?
w Guessing answecs TO these qres-
tons in particular faces that catch the
eye is almost the only interesting occupa-
ton open to person Of inquirng mind
obliged to sit for any length of time in a
great railway terminal. 1t is a fascinating
enc. If one could trace the threads of the
stories of the persons woven together for
this one single instant in all time one
would have a pattern Of all human ex-
perience For the comfort Of ones sensi-
tilities. the great majority Of the throng
are prosperous looking. They wear the air
CT persons who have no concern about the
places from which they come or any doubt
about the places to which they go and how
10 get to them. They carry books or neat
leather bags or newspapers or flowers and
ere making short journeys. Here and there
Gre standing or sitting persons, usually
W6:nen, WHO wear looks of uncertainty.
Tney are waiting for some one whom they
expect to meet, or they do not understand
in this bewildering throng how TO get their
baggage checked or whom to ask to take it
away. Some Of them undoubtedly would
welcome the voice OF an experienced
friend Perhaps this is their first journey
from home or they are going to new
hcme in a strange land. These faces lend
themselves to speculation, for they linger
longer on the scene and there is greater
opportunity to study them. Each move
they make is a fresh incident in the story
they are constructing within the fancy Of
the interested observer. a fresh peep at the
trff, haif
hidden. half revealed. within the veil. Thus
one rambles on in imagination while con-
tempIating this centre of psychological dis
turbance. this borderland between one en-
vironment and another. Whence are they
coming and whittier are they going?
Jingle iingle-iinglel jingle Jingle Jingle!
Jingle jingle jingle! Three times the electric
bell rings II is not a loud bell. and it
catches the attention of few. 1t breaks in
upon the musing. however, and the eye
quickly turning toward the information bu-
reau. above the window OF which the ham
mer of the shining nickel electric bell is
still vibrating, sees quiet and self-pos-
sessed woman approach. Evidently she is
responding to this signal. On her breast
is a small badge of white enamel, with
lettering on it. One Of the uniformed sta
ton officials speaks TO her.
There is 2 young woman over there who
doesn't know what 10 do next. A man who
doesn't look just right 10 me has just
offered to see that she gets to the right
address"
The woman walks in the direction Of the
bewildered traveller and takes a position
where can she observe what follows. The
muser then realizes that railroad station
may be a recruiting ground for the agents
of the ancient evil" whose commercialized
form in American cities has so recently
been brought 10 light. The question.
whittier are you gong?" gains an added
significance.
The woman with the badge was repre-
sentative of the Travellers Aid Society, an
organization with which large numbers Of
persons are unacquanted because they
have CHANGED never to have required its
services but which has been godsend
10 not few bewildered travellers entering
New York. This non-sectarian organization.
besides helping many on their way reioic-
ing, has incidentally robbed the agents Of
vice Of their prey on many occasions.