Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-01-30
OR SPARE ROOM.
JOHN G. WHITTIER.
From Chambers Journal. ]

Spare Room. Every apartment in that modest
mansion was dear to us, and had cost me many
a tear. Miyins had left the furnishing of it
to me from the very inst, and nobody can tell,
who has not experienced it, what trial that
is. What a responsibility is druggets and bed
furniture, and diIiDg -tables, and easy-chairs,
and GILT mirrors which vnn Iist-hsEa. if. a
need bag to put them into, if they are to
bear looking at after the first week, down to
the rOlling-tOwel in the back kitchen, which
talk of the excellence of machinery in these
days EITHER does not roll, nine DAYS out OF
ten, or else comes down with run.
However, as | say, we furnished our house,
and especially that Spare Room. 1t had
statues on the mantel-piece, although it was
but a bedroom, and picture of the Battle of
Waterloo, two feet by three, and fiy-catcher,
and a sofa, with an antimacassar which Grand
mamma Grueby worked herself, and took
three and half years about it, off and ON, in
expectation of my marriage. day. Moreover,
the bed shut up, and didn't look like bed
unless you knew; and there was wooden
cap that fitted over the washing-table so
that altogether when party had got up, and
the place was put in order, you might have
inquired whether it wasn't the drawing-rOom
If matters had turned out different, this might
have been the nursery, perhaps; but that
was not to be, and our Spare Room it was
and is, and in all probability will remain so
long as we stop in Vandeleur Terrace-and
we have a lease of the house for ninety-nine
years, believe. However, of course, when
we took the place we could not tell what
might happen, and it was of no use hiring a
house only just big enough for ourselves and
no more and so that's how we came to have
our Spare Room. We are not rich people.
Mivins and /; but we are in what one NAV
call easy circumstances-that is, we should
be so, lift were not for that extra chamber,
which, for my part, and although it does look
so spruce and elegant, wish were walledup,
or thrown into the dining room (as it might
be, only that they say the doing away with
the party-wall would bring down the house,
for really the trouble it has cost me, and the
expense II has been to poor dear Mivins, no
body knows.
What | should be most particular about in
the way of advice to all young people setting
up housekeeping, and especially in town, is
this: Whatever house you take, my young
friends, whether big or little, be sure YOU have
no such thing as Spare Room. If you must
look out for cOntingencies-and nothing is
worse, as far as my experience goes, or so
likely to prove sappOinting-and provide an
apartment ut ddrdllce as it were, at least don't
furnish it. Then you can say to all friends
from the country who write to say that they
are coming through Town-always " through
even if they stop a week-that YOU would be
above all things delighted to receive them,
only you have no extra sleeping accommoda-
ton whatever. OF course, thew will repIy
that anything will do for them: that YOU NAV
litter them down where you please, that they
know how to rough it, and only require that
welcome which they are well aware they will
receive at your hands, &c. The variety of
ingenious self-invitatiOns which these good
people give themselves is most extraordinary.
But TO all of them YOU can reply, with truth,
that it is a thousand pities, but you have no
Spare Room. All, happy pair, who have re-
eeived a hint to this effect while there was
yet time, and prOtited by it There is bach
elOr of my acquaintance who has adopted
this course in respect to his drawing-roOm:
ii is avery beautiful apartment, but entirely
with the trifling exception of a
wreath of plaster-hOwers on the ceiling, above
the place where the chandelier is expected to
hang. He entertains his unmarried friends,
and smokes in all his rooms indifferently
but, when he is called upon by ladies, he
takes them into the drawing and re-
marks: When | marry, this shall be fur
nished exactly as the lady of my choice shall
direct-whO, indeed, shall also have her way
in every other particular" 1t is extraordinary
how respected that man is lii domestic circles,
he has not the most distant intention
of marriage, and would not exchange the
privilege of smoking IN his bedroom las he
had once the indelicacy to confide to mel for
wives. There is, therefore.
nothing more advantageous and cheaper than
an unfinished room; while to married per-
sons of small income it is indispensable. If
they once furnish their Spare Room, it is all
over with them-their house is made a hotel
Of at once.
knowing you have Spare Room" writes
Aunt Bertha, make no apology for craving
your hospitality for a few days. The Nav
meeting begin at Exeter Hall on the 18th,
and would not miss that dear good man, Mr.
HowleT, upon any account; it is uncertain
when his address will be delivered, but per
haps Mr.. Mivins will be so good as to procure
me this information" Aunt Bertha does not
think much of poor dear Mivins in his spirit
ual character, although she never dare breathe
SO much to me, who knows his real worth, and
what genuine good creature, without one
halfpenny worth of cant, he is but she puts
great faith in his information regarding every
thing metropolitan, ever since he once nut
her into bus which dropped her at the very
door of Mr.. Surgeons Tabernacle. Ii is
very difficult matter for my husband, who is
only concerned with city matters, to find out
about Mr.. HOwler, whose name he has never
heard in his life but this is the least of the
evils Aunt Bertha's coming occasions US. The
house Is placed under religious martial law
for week certain, and the servants unani-
mously give US warning after the first twelve
hours of her..
Then my cousin Dick informs US. by letter
that he would not stoop to ask favor of any
other persons in the world but ourselyes-his
character being, as We know, independent to a
fault; but that he is very anxious to exhibit
a terrier at the IslingtOn dog-show, and feeling
sure that we should never forgive his putting
up at an inn, why, he viii make use of our
Spare Room; and he ventures to say that we
have some sort of a kennel for a little dog
that can stand in corner of that apartment,
as he dares not let il sleep out of his sight.
Dick is certainly great change after Aunt
Bertha; but, Indifferent guest as she was, |
can scarcely say he is an Improvement. He
keeps hours which, except that they are al
ways late, are very uncertain, and is not to be
trusted TO extinguish the light in the lobby,
nor even to put the chain up, after he has got
in-When he does get ina feat which he
sometimes finds little difficult. / don't mean
70 say he gets tipsy; but he is so unused to
lateh-keys, that he will tumble for half an
hour at the front-door-while Mivins and I
lie terrified with the idea that il is burglars
The last time this occurred, we felt the more
certain OF this, inasmuch that after about a