The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-01

The First OF May.
What the author of emusic and Morals
would denominate the passionate self
consciousness of the age" tends to make
us question the causes of things, and to
wonder, among the various questions that
strike home what the origin is of that insti-
tuition known as the May movings." Time
seems to hold this goodly city like kaleido-
scope between his fingers, and when the last
day Of April has expired he gives us his an
nual shake, and new domiciliary pattern is
the result Let us be thankful that the change
is only yearly. Our sister cities affect to look
upon us with derision. Quiet Philadelphia peers
at us from beneath her hood of hodden-gray
and jeers at our periodic change of>base. It
is well for us if we too can find anything in
it to smile at. Milton, Shakespeare and Her
rick are the principal poets who have some
thing pleasant to say of the First of May.
True, they look at the subject imaginatively,
and connect it with the coming of birds and
the sprouting of flowers. But why should not
the newspapers have their little fling, and
erect sparkling superstructure upon the
grim foundation? Who has not suffered
from the First Of May? It is the common
corn on New York's foot, upon which
the year in its recurrence regularly treads
Gone are the Maypoles and the morris dances.
The only fandango which now celebrates the
epoch is that which patresfamilias execute IN
der the pressure of smashed crockery and ex-
tortionate carriage. History informs us that
the First of May used to be sacred to Apollo;
but now it is dedicated to little save vexation
of spirit and indiscriminate profanity. The
whole gamut Of objurgation is run, from the
silent anathema that dies between the teeth of
the desperate housewife to the laundering in
tercharge of rival cartmen who hustle each
other on the stairs. Time was when Druids
celebrated the eve of May the First by beacon
fires, whose flames blazed high and far; but
now the new tenant is glad if.by the time that
day is over the kettle SINNERS comfortably
upon the range, and the CRATE be coaxed into
q modest glow. Robin Hood and Maid Marian
were formerly the patron spirits Of the day
but now we conciliate our landlord and think
ourselves happy if we can magnetic Bridget
into amiability. The Romans consecrated May
Day to Apollo; the difference with usxis that
our god is the god of moving, instead Of mu-
sic, and the festival we keep is one of distrac-
ton and inharmony. The only point in which
we can claim analogy to the ancients is that
which explains the derivation of the days
name. Maius was the mother of Mercury,
and Mercury, with wings to his head and
heels, is the symbol of sudden fight Almost
every family man is Mercury upon the First
Of May There is neither the time nor the dis
position for the lingering handshake and the
slowly-falling tear. Sentiment is crushed
beneath the necessity to pack, and romance
subsidies beneath the claims Of the white
washer and carpet-beater. Who can find time
to sing seThe Old Oaken Bucket when the
new piano is in imminent danger Of being
smashed? Who can drop tear over ''The
Old Arm Chair" when a pelting shower
threatens the parlor furniture?
Doubtless many welcome the First of May,
independent of those who derive considerable
immediate pecuniary benefit from it 1t is a
golden time to sever associations which one is
tired of, and to form new ones in regard to
which one intends to be circumspect exceed
ingly. It is glorious opportunity for turn
ing over that new leaf which has such
faculty for retroverting itself-for beginning
that fresh page upon which dark blots and
unseemly scrawls are quick to gather. New
resolutions then crop out pure as the May
flowers themselves, and quite as short-ived
A new hope inhabits the new house, and good
intentions warm themselves beside the fresh
Preside. There is q sort Of New Years Day
flavor in the gusto with which paterfamilias
buckles down to work. resolved to do the
better part of his nature justice for the future.
May Day is sometimes moving day for the
soul as well as for the body. The spirit
conveys its effects from place to place, gets
rid Of the bad and puts the good in safe-keep-
ing but since the house of the future will
probably be too perfect and comfortable a
residence to render change desirable it is not
unlikely that the May movings will, in
generation, become theme of the past, and
that we shall thereby lose the charming occa-
sion for getting even with ourselves which is
now offered by SO suggestive crisis as that Of
changing ones residence for another year.
1t is one thing to move and another to move
well. The reason New Workers do it SO
thoroughly is that they have been used to it
all their lives. Being always on the move
they take quite naturally to the demands of
the First Of May. Instead Of prancing around
o Maypole we hover with dignifed sense Of
responsibility near the pole of wagon.
French fats and parlor bedrooms are desired
in lieu of fresh woods and pastures new"
and the poetry of the old Spring festival
evaporates beneath the grinding problem
show to pay the rent" Let us not be quite
ungrateful if, in the midst of all the fraud
and turmoil, something now and then crops