[tex-k] Why DVI comment starts and ends with a space?

[Igor Liferenko]

Hi,

For example, if we run

    tex 'story \end'
    dvitype story

we get

    ' TeX output 2022.04.05:0919 '

I have always wondered if there is any specific
reason that those spaces are used.
Does anybody know where it is described?

What is curious: the first space is added explicitly in
§617 of tex.web, but the last one is implicit.

Best regards
  Igor