6:17
It was remarked by faithful readers of the Balloon that the next day 's cartoon was one of the least successful in the history of that brilliant newspaper . After telephoning to his wife that he would not be home for supper , Bleak set out for Caraway Street . He was in that exuberant mood discernible in commuters unexpectedly spending an evening in town . Instead of hurrying out to the suburbs on the 6:17 train , to mow the lawn and admire the fireflies , here he was watching the more dazzling fireflies of the city -- the electric signs which were already bulbed wanly against the rich orange of the falling sun . He puffed his pipe lustily and with a jaunty condescension watched the crowds thronging the drugstores for their dram of ice-cream soda . In his bosom the secret julep tingled radiantly . At that hour of the evening the shining bustle of the central streets was drawing the life of the city to itself .