Wilmington daily commercial. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1866-1877, 1874-09-21

by j. r. Osgood 4 Col
Dear John In arranging your plans, be gen.
erous if you can not lavish OF extrayagant in
expenditure but generous in feeling and express
sion. Let your doors and windows be wide, and
your roof be high. A wide door is far more con-
venient than a narrow one, usually much better
in appearance /; and for the windows,-when
shall we learn the unspeakable worth of the
bountiful light of heaven? Does Mrs. John
complain that the sunlight will fade her
carpets? Let them fade, and know of
truth that all the colors Of all the carpets
of all the looms that ever tlirobbed are not
worth to the civilized mortals who tread the
dust-containing fabrics one single hour of I'M
DISTRACTED sunshine. Is it that our deeds are
evil that.we seem to love the darkness rather
than light or is it through our ignorant exclu-
sion Of this glorious gift, 'ofispring of heaven
first born" that we are left to wander in so ma
ny darksome ways De generous, did | say
rather try to be just to yourself Practically, the
larger opening is scarcely more ex-
pensiye than the small one. The work of
construction is no greater, and the material for
the door or window costs but little more than the
thicker wall of wood, brick OF stone. l remem-
Der an old farm house on the side of one of our
rocky New England hills a type of a fashion
almost extinct, broad and broOding, low in the
walls, small windows and far between. high roof,
wide gables, pierced by windows of va
huge garrett were inhabited by mixed com.
pany of dwarfs and giants, each with his own
particular window suited to his height IN the
centre massive chimney, like the base at
tower. out of which the smoke rolled in lazy
curves. At the east eide of the house, under
the narrow caves, and opening, l think, into the
long kitchen, was one huge window,as high as the
others, and as wide as it was high. How it found
place there never knew, but nothing could be
more benign in its effect than its generous
nd
warped, after the manner of glass known to for
mer times but through it the sun poured
| flood Of warm light every morning. and ON win
ter evenings the glow of the freight within
made grand illumination far across the snowy
hilsides :; yet don't think the old window was
ever truly appreciated. The others seemed to
despise it, and Try to keep at distance in their
narrowness aud regularity. The little square
| loopholes in the gables lifted their diminutive
| eyebrows iu contempt even the green door
| looked blank and scowling, as though at possi-
| BILE rival. l fancy the housekeeper fretted
at the larger curtain covering this wide unwink-
ing eye, and the extra labor required on clean
| ing days. But this one great square win
| dow was the sole redeeming feature beneath the
roof of the ancient farm house. Beneath the
roof l say. The roof itself was, and is
/ and ever shall be the great charm OF those
antiquated houses mot OF the old alone, but if
| any new house shall ever rise, if Won succeed in
| building your own so that it shall seem to be the
tic happiness the roof Of your earthly paradise
will be bold and high. Pierced by windows it
may be, and broken by gables, but steep enough
to shed rain and SNOW, and high enough to be
plainly visible to the coming guest, promising
| safety and welcome beneath its tranquil shade.
Practically, the steep roof is better than any
other, because a Hat one cannot be az perman-
emily covered with any known material at 20 lit
tie cost, the multitudes of cheap and durable
patent roohngs to the contrary notwithstanding.
| | "a Afttii m
pitch TO allow the use Of slate or shingle. Sucl
need not be Intricate or difficult of construction
to look well, but must be honest and useful
They can he neither unless visible, aud here We
see the holy alliance Of use and beauty for the
character and expression OF building depend,
almost wholly upon the roof. You will lose
too, under the flat roof the roomy garnet Of the
old ligh-roofed houses. These have for Inc
wonderful fascination. Whether the ram upoi
the shingles, the mingled fragrance of seeds ant
drying uerbs, the surprising bigNess of tic chin
ney, the mysteries hidden in the wnrm-eateI
chests, the almost saintly charm of the long-u
used spinning wheels, cramhliuS mementoes OIL
the patient industry of former generations. or til,
stars through the cllinks in the shruuken boards
the old garnet and all its associations are anOnl
the 'lonS, long thoughts | sometimes doub
whether the modern conyeniences we are 50 font
OF procaiming are really an equivalent TO the
rising generation for this happiest of play-rooms
this stoiehouse OF herlOoms, this silent but po
tent tie that binds us to the life. the labor an(
the love of tho past.
Let there be light, too, in this upper story
Spinning-spidelr and singing was ls are not hal
so terrible to the children who viii make a half
way paradise of the garrett as the darkness tina
is covered by an unlightcd IoOf.
III you have heenAving in cnttage-chambcrs.
rooms i'll which full-sled man can hardly stani
erect in the centre, and we'll grown baby scarce
/ y creep at the sides unventilated, heute,
beyond endurance during the hot, summer days
and retaining their heat through the long wake