New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-19


soil expired about a week after the real
estate agent had emptied my pocket
md hog-tied me on a years lease. The con-
-s,t which ] signed with my eyes open was
.scribed as This Indentlre" in artistic
Gothic type, and contained four pages of legal
Gains. Not only that, but the real estate
rent designated in "This Indenture" as the
ary Of the first part, had letten, granted, de-
rised and 20 farm had let unto the party of
he second part was the party Of the sec
md part-"a parcel of land and house thereon"
r. the suburb Of Ridge Park fourteen long
niles away from the twenty-second floor of a
iowntown building, where ! earned my living.
1 And 70 complicatr matters bit further, the
party Of the second part had covenanted to pay
twelve equal monthly payments, to the party
/ 4 the first part, sum Of money greater than
The party Of the second part-that is, myself
bad ever seen in his life.
had taken only one precaution before enter
ng the den Of the real estate agent-a course
IN railroad timetable instruction under a
friendly railroad clerk who showed me how the
trains shuttled back and forth every hour be-
tween Manhattan and Ridge Park. Under his
guidance / had with my fountain pen built
fence around the figure "7;07" on that side Of
The tmecard which showed the disposition of
trains running from Ridge Park to Manhat-
tan. On the other side of the card | con-
rfucted a rectangular crib, also with my foun-
tain pen, for 1922, d5:37," and good old
'd556," all trains of the post-meridian clan
speak with affection Of IDS 56" because it is
he only tame, well behaved subterrine in the
0t. ] can always catch the Ids 90" and now
hat ! am an expert commuter ! can, when l
try, make a running start for the "d5:37,"
grab It by the name and swing on and ride it.
and one Of these days I expect to break the
wild and elusive "5:22" mustang, but thus far
have only seen its red tail-lghts.
almost lost my faith in the "d5:56' on the
hrss Saturday Of my residence in Ridge Park.
failed TO keep its appointment with me, but
On Investigation l found that the letter 3D."
which had in vague sort Of way thought
vas mark Of distinction, something like the
prefix on noble French names, merely indicated
hat il took day off Saturdays, July and
September 4, which merely shows how little I
Knew about the art of committing.
And what had all this to do with the expira-
Ton Of the insurance policy on my dollar Inger-
soil! Merely this, that q commuter without
chronomcter is like ship without a compass.
! had TO catch that 81 ;O7" train for Manhattan
SIX mornings week or lose my job. not
oily had q family 20 provide for, but ! also
aaa to support that party Of the first part
One morning / missed the "7:07.' During the
hour ! spent in the Ridge Park station wait
ag for (he "S13" / jimmied open the back
ooor Of my Ingersoll with a nail file and
ahmed the speed-valve which pointed at dead
centre between + and S, meaning Fast and
Now, way over 20 +. / was closing the watch
hen noticed the insurance policy which was
Naed % the inside Of the back door, and saw
ne watch had been purchased on October Z.
'sl5, and was guaranteed to keep correct tine
or only one year. Here il was October z, 1916,
snc the watch had lost five minutes on its first
birthday. | resolved to buy another one, but
oeferred so doing.
II the insurance policy had not expired and
With II the trustworthiness Of the watch,
hight never have observed the young man with
ne long legs, and the comparatively speak
'ag, longer nose would never have learned
ne fine art Of plucking pin feathers from the
sngs Of Father Time. ! would never have
ecofne an expert commuter
was swallowing my breakfast on the fol
ewing morning when happened TO glance out
q The window which commanded view Of the
ne open ridge from which Ridge Park takes
- name eavv the vounC man with the long
sss stalking manfully across the terrain, and