The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-28
IN MAINE.
Unfortunate Effects Of b Boston
Scheme Of Bench Identification.


To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sr: IL
has many times been asked. and some.
times. / fear. not without the spirit OF
sarcasm. why do people write letters
to the papers, The question were
better put, why do some people write
letters to the papers?"
the ideas and opinions Of the lay
writer, the man on the street, II you
please. about matters Of Importance OF
subjects OF general interest find express
sion in the letter columns Of newspapers
Is, I believe. a very good thing. Such
letters are almost always interesting
and very often contain information that
We are glad to get. But there liz another
class Of letter writer's, "A small class,
people who write about their WI per-
sonal affairs and Ills and those OF their
Immediate family or friends. as II. for
sooth. the general public could In the
least degree be Interested in their small
doings or interests. | can conceive that
only the colossal egotism OF such writ
ers prompt them to write TO the papers
such letters ~ they do. For myself I
can only despise them. Despise IL a
harsh word, TO be sure. yet I use It with
intent. / must say thai I utterly con-
denim them and their letters. Let them
keep their personal and family affairs
! to themselves.
nave lpt yet IOUnu my DlbTlut SIStVi
ln-law in the search for whom many
readers OF THE Sun have been good
enough to try to aid me. l am working
on the third clue | received. A gentle
man whose name / shall withhold)
wrote me to say that he saw a tall
blonde waiting in the waiting room OF
the Grand Central. which was where
my sister-in-law was last seen. and 80
| started for the station.
r.. 49, - A. ,,,~ ~
a strap In the subway | began to muse
about stations in general and waiting
rooms in particular. | think they have
"A good idea in Boston In this regard.
In the waiting room of the South Ter
minal station there, as YOU may know,
they have named the different benches
after the states of the Union, Mt least
that was so a few years ago. Thus you
can. or could. meet your wife In New
Jersey and part from her IN South
! Dakota. Just as +, might. happen to hap
pen. | once knew "A man who, quite
unexpectedly. met his wife in Colorado,
while right next In Utah he had a--er-
( lady friend waiting for him. OF course
am Speaking about, the Boston sta
ton. And that chap lived in Boston.
That reminds me OF an experience ]
had there. | once went to Boston 70 see
a man on business. He met me at the
I dlAN Nthlllk 11e W the Miltllb
room found me a seat and asked M
TO wal, for him a few minutes. ! did
happened TO look at the name on the
bench on which | was sitting and il
was then discovered tina, | was IN
Maine. / stayed in Name quite a Ions
time and stu my friend did not return
| go, TO thinking about, Maine, and nat.
ural!y about, prohibition. developed
nm awful thirst and stood II as long as
I could. Then I went across the stree,
to the Essex bar for n drink. wher
returned three hours later | could no,
find my friend. think I STAYED In
Name several hours longer with occa.
sional trips to the Essex. but my Bos-
ton friend failed TO return and | cam.
back to New York. OF course you will
say that in the case | have Just cited
II was with me imagination, and thai
is true. | have imagination, yet those
who know me or nave read anything
have written would never guess Il.