One of the most astounding scenes in the local panorama of human oddity
is a news-stand at one of the big terminals when the homeward-bound
commuters are buying their evening papers. Those who believe there is
no hustle in New York might contemplate that spectacle--the continual
patter of hurried people scampering up to the counter to seize a paper,
throw down their money, and bound away. Indeed, if you stand for a
while near the news-stand and watch, you will gradually become aware
that there is something pathologic about the matter; that the great
mass of newspaper readers crave and swallow their daily potion much as
they would a familiar drug or anodyne. The absolute definiteness of
the traffic is another curious feature: the news dealer can tell you,
almost to a figure, how many of each paper he will sell each evening.
As the commuters hurry up to the counter, you will never see them
hesitate, ponder, and ask themselves, “Well, which paper shall I read
to-night?” No; they grab the usual sheet, and off they go.
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