West Virginia daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1894-1902, 1902-07-24
MOVING IN SCOTLAND
ON MAY % OCCURS THE ANNUAL
CARNIVAL OF "FLITTlNG."
One Day In Each Year When FurDi-
ture Vans and Chaos Reign Su-
preme-An Odd System, Built Up ON
the Caution of the Landlords.

In Scotland May % is annually given
over to perfect carnival of Hitting"
| In England houses Of the higher
rents are taken by the year, at any
quarter day and the lever rented ones
by the month or even by the week.
The fitting is thus spread over the
year, and no confusion arises. The
Scottish system is to let houses by the
year from May %. Even the smallest,
consisting Of only one room. are so let.
On the great day in any large town the
sights afforded range from the laugh
able to the pathetic.
AIS soon as it is daylight the vans
previously "Eysted" begin their work;
the goods, are loaded up with more
haste than care and to the aecompani-
msnt of the good housewives 1aznenta-
tons as some cherished household god
Is roughly flung into the van.
Arrived at the destination, further
troubles are ia store. Perhaps the new
house is not, yet vacated, and, as the
van is required for other removals, the
goods are. dumped down in the street.
and there the po@r family is left
stranded for the time. Occasionally
some streetsNa Glasgow, for instance
present aH appearance Of wholesale
| eYictions.
So numerous are the demands that
vans cannot. always be obtained, and
every kind of vehicle, including horse
less carriages, peculiarly knewn as
"hurleys," are pressed into tie service.
supplemented by father, mother and
the children each carrying pictures,
mirrors or other cherished articles too
precious to trust to the tender nereies
Of some Tamshackle conveyance.
These professions are moving along
all day. Tie representative Of law
ana order, upon this day at least, is
very >lenfent, his gruff "Move on" is
less In evidence, and his ready note
book gets a rest. There are no leases"
Of obstruction reported, although often
loaded vans have to remain in a street
all night.
1t may be that the "polisman" grasps
the humers of the situation, or perhaps
fellow feeling infuences him. No
|
and he retires of duty to. some strange
abode, there to assist in carrying in
his goods, to sup off a crust Of bread
and cheese and sleep on tAe floor. as
others have. to dc.
A stranger naturally inquiries the
cause OF this one day. given over to
chaos. It is to be found in the eau
ton of the Scottish landlord. 1t Is diff
fcult to obtain house at any other
time than the lawful removal day, aud
the canny house owner has prudently
secured Ids rent fortnight previously.
May Is.
''Moonlight'' fittings are thus prac-
ticaily unknewn, and there is little
loss of rent from that cause. The rents
being payable half yearly. only, the
cost of collection is reduced, as Is the
risk of loss. to a minimum. The sys-
tenn entails great hardship to working
men compelled to change the scene Of
their labors. They frequently cannot
obtain a house until term day and have
consequently. to take lodgings and sup
port their family in another town.
If fortunate enough to obtain house,
the landlord steps in and requires his
full years rent to be paid or deposited
in bank before. he allows the goods to
be removed The unfortunate head Of
a household is also responsible for the
full years rates of his new" hesse,
although he may have paid in full at
his vacated house.
Dhe only ADVANTAGE to the tenant rs
security of tenure for twelve months
and the certainty of being acccmmo-
dated at the expiry in the general
scramble. OF course it happens some
times. through new houses being erect
ed. that some one is able to start the
ball rolling a day or two before terra.
to the comfort of all involved in the
particular circuit; but, generally speak
Ing, May term day in Scotland is not
an institution to be admired and copied.
Strange to say. Sandy not only takes
this day philosophieally, bat is much
more addicted to fitting than people
south of the Tweed. some families NOV
ing regularly every year without any
apparent necessity. One would scarce
~ expect the worry and discomfort OF
the day and succeeding temporary
chaos to be voluntarily undertaken. but
the fact is so
The continuance of the system itself
is a standing monument to the British
long suffering and law abiding nature.
-Pearson's Weekly.
, So LOwly. but So Great.
A humble tailor death had caught
Within his clutches grim,
Yet by his grave we stood and thought
How much we owed to him!
Ohio State Journal.
PinUUOnX Habit.