The House that Jill Built after Jacks had Proved a Failure | Page 8

Jill continued reading, "provided you know what your house is for. It is
my conviction that of all the people who carefully plan and laboriously build themselves
houses, scarcely one in ten could give a radical, intelligent reason for building them. To
live in, of course; but how to live is the question, and why. As they have been in the habit
of living? As their neighbors live? As they would like to live? As they ought to live? Is
domestic comfort and well-being the chief motive? It is not, usually; hence, there are in
the world a great many more houses than homes."
"Oh, bother the preaching! It's all true, but we don't happen to need it. When is he
coming?"
"Next week, and he hopes we shall have 'some general idea of what we want.' How very
condescending! We know precisely what we want, as I can easily show him."
[Illustration: A "CROSS-SECTION" PROPHECY.]
Jill accordingly produced a fresh sheet of "cross-section" paper, on whose double plaid
lines the most helpless tyro in drawing can make a plan with mathematical accuracy
provided he can count ten, and on this began to draw the plan of the first floor,
expounding as she drew.
"If we call the side of the house which is next the street the front, the main entrance must
be at the east side, because we need the whole of the south side for our living rooms. You
know the view toward the southwest is the finest we shall have, especially from the
chambers."
"How do I know? I didn't climb the step-ladder."
"And we must have a large bay window directly on that corner. The hall must run
through the house crosswise, with the stairs on the west side of the house. As there is
nothing to be seen in this direction except the white walls and green blinds of the
parsonage, the windows on the stair-landing shall have stained glass. The dining-room
will be at the north side of the hall, with plenty of eastern windows, and behind that the
kitchen with windows at opposite sides. But you wouldn't understand the beauty of my
kitchen arrangements now. By-and-by, when you are wiser, I will explain them. Do you
like a fireplace in the hall, Jack?"
"I don't know as I do. Do you?"
"Of course! certainly."
"I shall be of all men most miserable without one. Can't we have two?"
"Perhaps so; but first let me read you Cousin Bessie's letter:

MY DEAREST JILL: I'm perfectly delighted to hear about the new house. It will be an
immense success. I know it will--you are so wise and so practical. How I shall enjoy
visiting you! It is delightful to build houses now. Everybody thinks so much more of the
beautiful than they used to. Some of my friends have the loveliest rooms. The tones are so
harmonious, the decorations so exquisite! Such sympathetic feeling and spiritual unity! I
wish you could see Kitty Kane's hall. It isn't bigger than a bandbox, but there's the
cunningest little fireplace in one corner, with real antique andirons and the quaintest old
Dutch tiles. They never make a fire in it; couldn't if they wanted to--it smokes so. But it is
so lovely and gives the hall such a sweet expression. You will forgive me, won't you, Jill,
dear? but you know you are so practical, and I do hope you won't forget the esthetic
needs of home life. Your loving cousin, BET."
"Let's give up the hall fireplace," said Jack.
[Illustration: HEAT FROM ALL SIDES.]
"By no means; our hall is large and needs a fireplace--one that will not smoke and will
warm not only the hall in very cold weather, but the whole house when it isn't quite cold
enough for steam. The sides and back will be of iron with an air-chamber behind them,
into which fresh air will be brought from out of doors and come out well warmed at the
sides." (Jill's idea was something like the above figure for the plan.)
"It will be a capital ventilator, too, for the centre of the house. There will be a damper in
the hearth to let the ashes down into the ash-pit. I suppose a stove would answer, but this
will be better because it won't have to be blacked, and it will last as long as the house."
"How will it look standing out there all alone by itself?"
"Haven't I told you, my dear, that whatever is well looks well?"
"Yes, but it takes a mighty faith to believe it, and I'm not even a mustard-seed. What is
the little room in the southwest corner for?"
"That is the library, and for an ordinary family it is large enough. It is twelve feet