Year: 1877

- "STILL 1T BOVES'


The words with which Calico CALLER solaced
himself. after signing his recantatiOn, may be
annually applied about this time to the City OF
Ncw-York. Perhaps there is less fitting from
bouse to house within the city limits proper
than formerly, but the general rush for the
suburban retreats quite supplies the deficiency.
For plenty of reasons, too, there are always
reople who do not remain in one dOmlcile iOr
more than twevemonth They are always
hoping to better themselves either IN the mat'er
of rent. of neighbOrhOOd, or of convenient
accommodations. They do not love their lahu-
lords. They do not get along with the
sub-tenants or the uper-tenants-there are
ALWAYS ouarrcls enough to illustrate the truth
that no roof is large enough to cover two lam
lilies. So a considerable portion OF the month
of April is spent in seeking new quarters ana
in preparing to leave the old ones. The car
nets come up from the floor; the pictures ana
mirrors come down from the wall; the bed
steads are disiointed, the kitchen ware and
the crcckery ware are heaped promiscuously
in bushel baskets; the chairs are tied together
and the tables are shrOudcd in mating; the
cart comes to the door, and all the personal
property having been piled upon it, with much
sharp lafguagc from madam and possibly some
profane language from the driver the whole
is carried from No. - in one street to NO. -
in another and all the animated nature ~ the
bouse. excapt the cat follows. But GriEalkinls
too wise TO move unless obliged to; he knows
tLe quality of the mice and the exact hight OF
the tiles i'm that neighborhOOd; he stays, with
the ghosts belonging to the mansion, and
makes friends with the new tenants, if he can.


There are those who become very fond OF
the houses in which they have lived, and who
always leave them with kind of sad reluct-
ance. But these are mostly dwellers III the
country or in small towns A city life is fatal
to sentiment. Bricks and mortar do not VIE
our hearts as trees and flowers do, and one
house in New-Yorl is very much like another
of its class. The fitting family only goes INTO
another street, hardly different save III name,
from that which il leaves. The new dwelling
has a hall and a hall bedroom, and parlor
and back parlOr, and basement dinlng-roOm
and kitchen, and subcellar, just as the Old
one had Into it the same CrotOn and gas
come through familiar pipes the new milk
man and baker cry out in the old familiar key
and if the street railway to be used belongs
to another company, there is no novelty III
cars or conductor. But for the chattels which
have been smashed or cracked or fractured or
lost the transit, when all is once more set
tIed he family would hardly know that it had
changed it's dOmici,e at all. 1t is fixed for an
other year, but for another year only. IL
would be foolish to grow fond OF place
which Is so soon 10 be abandoned forever.


Perhaps home and household feeling may
come in a feeble and weak way to those who
are so often migrating; perhaps they make
home wherever parents and children are
gathered totether and sheltered; but some
thing is missed of a pleasant and refining
character if no regret is felt at leaving the
walls which may have witnessed the advent
of the newborn and the departure of the
dead Perhaps it is fortunate that the last
day in the old house is one of such hustle
and universal topsy -turvy that but little tiIlc
il left for sentimental reflection. We should
think, however, that the positive Inconvenience
and intense discomfort of "moving" would be
enough to awaken desire for a permanent
abiding place. Of which there need
not be yearly abandonment. It is
a great thing to feel that ones anchor is fixed
so far as ownership Of the site can secure it,
and that many Mays may come perhaps with
ont involving a general OvCrturn. At the best,
the last day of the lease must be a dismal day
to a great many IN this city, rs 1t is certainly
q day of botheration and bad temper a:d ex-
pense. House hunting is as troublesome as
house holding is pleasant and we are greatly
mistaken if many honest men and matr0ns do
not resolve to-day and tomorrow to have, ds
soon rs possible, houses of their Own-poOr
things, perhaps, but still their own to live III
and to die in