The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1914-01-10
THE UNIMPORTANCE OF
MEN.
BY Junius J.. N. Gray.

The city was quite busy, but II IL
had not been SO | would have been
alarmed, and not at all alone in. the
surprise. 1t would be a waste of time
to attempt to describe just how busy
everybody was, hur1ying to and fro,
on foot and in cabs.
l had been talking-principally ask.
ing q~uestions-and walking. 1 did not
take to the cabs readily, because of a
feeling that there | would be shut off
somewhat from the rush and roar of
the much alive metropolis. Just for
the novelty of it occasionally l rode
the horse cars, but not for long, for
| had 10 G since learned to hurry as
did the native New Workers.. Like the
busy throngs that are hurried here
and there, / sometimes rode the sur
face or trolley cars, but for quicker
transportation, would take an IL" or
Sub" train.
AS has been said, 1 asked many
questions, not unlike the newspaper
reporters. l knew that questions were
not popular in the city. If they were
unpopular, the proper answers there
to were more so. I was also sufficient
ly acquainted to know that there was
not much street manners or polite
ness in vogue in the great city. So
when a gruff voice replied to my
queries: I'm no walking e~ncyclo-
pedia," OF "See the information bu-
reau at --" l took it all good ma
turedly and not allowing the express
sions to create thte least insult. | was
aware that many persons really did
not have time to give justifable an
swers; irritable by nature or rendered
so by thousands of too frequent pre-
vious inquiries, would find it easier,
in keeping with their dispositions, to
swear than give the desired informa-
ton; still others we're blind to every
thing but the Insignificant illumina-
tions of their own sphere, and not to
overlook the practical joker. There
fore, til best wers to my questions
on the street usually came from the
lips of boys, who, emitting exceptions,
tell the truth when the interview is
not prearranged..
On this occasion had been out OF
town for several days. Returning, ]
reached Little Old New York; by way
of the Pennsylvania ferry from the
Jersey side. Wanting a little extra
ride and especially fond Of the Hud
son breeze, went up to West Twenty
third street. Leaving the ferry
walked over to Broadway, where
stopped on the southwest corner Of
Broadway and T~wenty-third. 1t was
early in January. AS 1 stood there a
clock from somewhere behind me an,
nounced the noon hour, and the clang
ing strokes were twelve times heard
above the noises of the streets, which
were filled with persons on foot and in
the common carriers rushing from {
thousand offices and other places o
business to nearby cafes and homes.
"Noonextrah! Noonuxtrah!" yelled
a number of Joys with as any bundles
of papers. l bought a Journal from
one of the boys nearest to me. And al
l was wont to do at every opening, be
gan asking question::
"How long are you on duty, my little
man." l inquired.
I'm playing quits, now, boss" wa
the reply from a boy about II years
old.
Then what 10 you do?"
go t. school till this %evenin', thel
l put on another extra till nine"
$50, you're really a busy boy, Ell?
What do you do?" he asked witt
true boyish inquiry and less prema
tured manhood so often found in tn
boys of the greater cities, although
probably by contact, he had much O
the slang accent characteristic of tn
street urchin who also sells papers TO
cigarette money and even for susie
nance and to keep him war durin
the icy winter months with days a
cold as the one of which 1 refer you.
Il am a statistician," l replied,
"And your name?" he asked, lookin
up into y face,
"Winfield-Cecil Winfield was tn
answer.
The boy seemed to be deep i
thought then, but soon continued;
81 don't remember seeing you
name-and l didn't know they had co
ored men to take statistics ?-say, d
you know that old man, right there,
he went on, apparently abruptly chang
ing the subject.
Out in the street near the car trac
stood a man of about fifty or fifty-iv
years. He was short and stout, ratl
er corpulent. His face was squar
with jaws firmly set, and as he turne
toward the sidewalk l noticed that h
possessed a set of keen, piercing eyei
{ His face was covered with a stubb
beard of some two weeks growth, an
4 his hair streaked with gray. He wor
a SLOUGH hat that had been long in hi
service judging from its appearance
impressed, well worn long black owe
coat that showed but little of tn
black trousers slightly raveled at tn
t bottom. His foot covering was a pal
of heavy, flat-heel shoes.
mo, who is he?" 1 asked, centerin
my attention and interest upon tn
V man awaiting the arrival of a dow
town car.
: "They say when he first came to tn
, city he was a statistician of som
kind. But now he's a millionaire
power in Wall street, my dad says"