Smyrna times., 1867-05-08
NJ Is ELLAN EO US.
Moving Day In New York.

The first of May is Moving Day" in New
York city. One of the leading dailies thus
talks about its causes and its effects:
At the bottom of this yearly hegira are two
impelling forces, women and landlords. When
the soft Spring days come, and the full throat
ed birds shake out their showers of song in
wonderful MARBLES and trils, detailing to the
new mate their housekeeping plans for the
Summer, and with critical eye, and head cock
ed one side, select the sight for their rural
mansion, there comes to weary housekeepers
little trills and l0ngings in the blood, prompt
ing them to change, and wander, to gather
from the broad heavens and the green earth
their portion of the sunshine and the juices
But they cann0t translate the exquisite language
of the Spring-these city 'dames-and they
mistake her call to her country hospitality for
a divine and prophetic intuition of moving
day. They fancy that the chamber carpets, so
chabby in IS, would put on new comeliness
in -, which is a triie higher, trlie narrow
er and a trifie richer in plaster cornices, and
painted ceilings, and on the other side of the
street. They know that to go out of their din
! gy but comfortable brick house, into glaring
and uncomfortable brOwn-stOne one, half as
wide, and two miles further up town, is the
debt they owe to society, their certificate of
respectability, and an aid to the kingdom of
Heaven. So they move, and the carmen bless
them.
There is another class also, which makes a
longer and wearier procession. The people
who move because they cannot pay their rent.
Almost yearly, for all the years of this decade,
during which rents have steadily or spasmodi-
cally risen, have they gathered their lares and
penates, and fled as Eneas from Troy, as con-
strainedly, almost as hopeleSsly. These are
the people of moderate means, who love beau
tiful things, and happily have a few-who are
refined, and simple, and honest, good citizens,
trustworthy voters salaried men, and men ol
small income. These families search the city
through, Spring after Spring, Tor that impOs-
sible mansion tit tor gentleman to live IN,
which shall not prove qulcksand OF rent. =
Spring after Spring they take house uglleT
and less expressive to themselves May day
after blay day, rising in the ghOstly dawn, they
consign their dwindling household treasures tC
the ignorant mercies of Irish carmen, who are un
doubtedly GLACIERS in disguise. They see tn,
glasses of the engravingS shiver at the unex
pected friendliness OF the sOap-kettle. They
behold the modest reps of their parlOr furni
ture smirched by the gaS-stove, and whlteneC
, by the -four barrel. They look dry-eyed upoI
their plaster Apollo, and he issues needles
from the map-cylnder, and are exhausted o
emotion before it is discovered that the bes
tea-set is in ruins, half the volumes of Dickens
missing, and the veneering stripped from the
/, bedsteads and bureaus 1t is a month bOfor'
the new habitation puts on the form of home
1t is another month before the machinery run
smoothly, and the old pleasantness covers tht
ugly walls, the dingy rear, the disagreeablt
"oVer the way" Two months of unnecessary
3 discords. Two months of suspended comfort
and therefore of suspended usefulness. Tive
months to knocking down as many pins in the
game Of life, only to set them up in new
. place; and so two months of possible produc
tive industry lost to the world.
From the respectable vagranT who moves
from a tenement of one room on the third foo
at five dollars week, to a tenement of small
er room on the sixth floor at four dollars
week, it is gradual descent to the very un
respectable vagrant who takes all his world,
: wealth in the tatters on his back from a roost
ing place in one black vault to a roosting plac
in another, at cent or two q night less tariff