Sacramento daily record-union., 1889-09-22
LIFE In NEW YORK.
PEOPLE WHO ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO
GET SETTLED,
Some of the Disco onforts and Annoy
ances of BOARDING in the Great
Metropolis.
New Yo.eK. Sentemher u. 1ss.

olner ma call them back, but chiefly they
COME. quote the phrase verbatim-ato
get set tied"
Th ere is good deal of meaning in that
hit le "get," and it is intended to convey a
&C cd deal more than the simpler words
to SETTLE" What this process of .get-
tlng" means can be fully known only to a
person experienced in ordinary New York
life, and to such an one it means SO much
that a newspaper column or more is about
as adequate to contain it as wash-tub is
the broad ocean. But in a tiny way one
can draw an image and the readers imag-
ination can do the rest; the more So as
whatever may be imagined can easily be
comprised within the tumultuous sea of
wandering New Workers in search of a
home.
Numbers have thus wandered for years
and years and years, the home ever fleet
ing before them like the jack O lantern in
fog. In foggy way, they have repeated
the annual operation of settling, knowing
well that minor settings may await them
during the ensuing season, yet with un-
failing promptitude and unhagging perse-
verance they are on hand when settling
time comes.
Who can blame them? Are they to live
in the streets? Scarcely.
Street odors (of which / counted a dozen
down town yesterday, if nothing else,
would drive them indoors They buy
papers and study out advertisements all
the way in from the country. Some cut
fha olx
them in purses, ready for use; others mark
the places, and once within city limits they
prepare for action.
The more reckless, having taken morn
ing trains, conclude to settle by night.
Oft repetition of the process has made
them careless of the consequences, and
with an abandon worthy of the experienced
settler, they Immediately begin to ring
clearinghouse bells.
The clearinghouse keepers are ready
for them.
Having gone thus far, the thought occurs
to me that l might make public paper
bequeathed me by lady friend. 1t speaks
for itself and will, l trust, bring content
ment to any expectant spirit who may con-
template a residence on moderate means
in the metropolis
RECoLLECTIoNs OF A BoARDER.
Having always lived in the country, in
searching for New York boarding place
was not unnaturally attracted by vine
which clembered on house. 1t was gem
teel-looking and in a sufficiently good To-
cality-just what | wanted nice, but not
too expensive l mounted the high stoop
thigh stoops lie near the hearts of New
4orkers) and rang the bell A tidy little
woman answered and | was ushered into
an attractive and very clean parlor. Ev-
erywhere, indeed, was scrupulously clean,
but at this early stage ] took such a state
of affairs as matter of course, and there
fore will confess that did not appreciate it.
II was, however, attracted, and engaged
a room on the spot. Coming into dinner,
l Jared reasonably well. At breakfast the
next morning the very clean servant girl
brought me small fsh-ball, frugal al
lowance of fried potatoes and very wea k
coffee. | asked for more fsh-balls, but
there was none. Considerably discouraged,
/ rose from table and concluded l would
finish my meal at the u o'clock lunch.
Such finish consisted of very limited por-
tion of stew. Stews always gave me dys-
pepsia, but | struggled through, and lay
down all the afternoon, waiting for the
half-past 6 o'clock dinner, but was too sick
by the time it came to make more than
half meal. / spent the evening in cal
eulating expenses, ane concluded that to
pay the weeks board and go would be
cheaper than to remain.
"Next morning an extremely thin and
small piece of over-done steak replaced the
tish-ball-other things in keeping. l had
heard of New York, restaurants, and
concluding would patronize one, made q
square meal, and, nightly refreshed, be-
gan my search for new boarding place.
"This time / avoided vines, looked
askance when very neat girl came to the
door: and when the landladies came out
of Easements TO see me, my sole inquiry
was on the subject of eating. At last
came to decision, but could not obtain
room in my prospective paradise until the
lapse of four days, during which time
took at least one out-of-door meal, and 81
lived along.
"In my new boarding place l certainly
had enough to eat and made the most o
it. True, | thought it wiser not to lool
about me, but those great spots Of coffee OF
the cloth stared perpetually up in my
face. i nearly broke my arm from slipping
on the greasy carpet and will say nothing
regarding the servant girls dress anC
chiefly her hands. There was, too,
peculiar and all-pervading odor through
out the premises, but hoped to weathel
things through, until a friend who hac
called said:
"'But candidly, Clarice, how did yor
ever, ever come to settle down in a plac,
like this? You certainly must move,
Privately had been thinking of NOV
ing and this gave me courage. begaI
looking and as the reward of my thirC
effort found place without vines and no
too neat, not very dainty and the fare not
intolerable. But baby cried all night
in the room next to me and an idiot boz
who sat opposite me at table made grimaceS
at me during every meal.
Shall / mover | said to myself.
moved. | kept on moving. Details ar,
wearisome, but / concluded to keep ,
blank book and make entries as to causes
They ran as follows:
~. Landlady taken insane and immedi.
ate dispersion of boarders.
"2. Impertinent chambermaid; landlad,
informing me that she could readily FL
nv place if chose to go.
''S. Too much hash.
"a. III smelling
70. Disagreeable neighbors.
SO. Dirty entrance.
". Improper characters retained, be
cause paying well.
"S. Bad fare.
SO. Execution in the house and furnitur
seized
30. Unsatisfactory table.
I'll. Unswept staireases and general dis
comfort.
"l2. Landlady gave up. {
"l3. House sold.
IA. Too frequent stews.
10. A boarder who took her station nea
me and listened to everything said wheI
visitors called in the parlor.
"l6. Landlady detected in searching m,
trunk by means of false key.
al. Friends not announced and goin.
away without being able to see me.
"1s. An ill-bred girl who banged tn,
piano all the evening in the parlor, rem
dering conversation with callers impossi
BILE.
"19. Too much hash.
100. Landlady dies.
''2l Dirty entrance and too many flies
tsoo (sauaraN diccomfark