Ellsworth American., 1874-10-01
Hospitality and Sunlight.
From "liomes and How to Make Themr-p
Iished by j. 4. Osgood L Col

Hospitality and Sunlight.
From Homes and How to Make Themr-pub-
Iishcd by j. X. osgood & Co.
Dear John: In arranging your plans, be
generous il you can; not lavish or extrav-
agant IN expenditure, but generous in
feeling and expression. Let your doors
and windows be wide, and your roof be
high. \ wide door is far more convenient
thana 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 sun
light will fade her carpets? Let them
fade, and know OF a truth that all the col
ors of all the carpets of all the looms that
ever throbbed are not worth TO the civililz-
ed mortals who tread the dust containing
fabrics, one single hour of unobstructe d
sunshine. l. il, that our deeds are evil
that We seem to love darkness rather than
light or is it through our ignorant exclu-
sion of this glorious gift, Offspring Of
heaven first born" that we are lett to
wander In so many darksome ways: Be
generous, did say: rather try to be just
TO yourself Practically, the larger OPEN
ing is scarcely more expensive 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
material for thicker wall of wood, brick
4 a r,..,
on The side OF one OF our rocky New Eng
land NILS, type of a fashioa ..I.nost eX-
tinct, broad and bfooding, low In the
walls, small windows and far between.
high roof, wide gables, pierced by win
dows OF various sizes, and queerly located,
As if the huge garret were Inhabited by
mixed company OF dwarfs and giants,
each with his own particular window suit
ed TO his height in the centre a massive
chimney like the base of tower, out of
which the smoke rolled in lazy curves.
AT the east side of the house, under the
narrow caves, and opening, think, into
the long kitchen, was one huge window,
as high as the others, and as wide as II
was high. How il found place there
never knew, but nothing could be more
benign in effect than its generous breadth.
The panes were small and green and warp
ed. after the manner of glass known to
former times; but through IL the sun pour
ed flood of warm light every morning,
and on winter evenings the glow OF the
hrelight within made grand illumination
far across the snowy hillside; yet | don't
think the old window was ever truly ap-
preclated. The others seemed to despise
it, and try to keep at distance in their
narrowness and regularity. The little
square loopholes in the gables lifted their
diminutive eyebrows in contempt; even
the green door looked blank and scowling,
as though At possible rival. | fancy the
housekeeper fretted at the larger curtain
covering this wide, unwinking eye, and
the extra labor required on cleaning days.
But this one great square window was the
sole redeeming feature beneath the roof of
the ancient farmhouse. Beneath the roof.
say. The roof itself was, and is, and
ever shall be the great charm of those an
tiquated houses,-no of the old alone, but
ANY new house shall ever rise, if you
succeed in building your own so that it
shall seem to be the abiding place of the
inearnate genius Of domestic 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 be-
meath its tranquil shade. Practically, the
steep roof is better than any other, because
fiat one cannot be as permanently cov-
cred with any known material at so little
cost, the multitudes Of cheap and durable
patent roOnngs to the contrary notwith- |
standing. By steep roofs mean any that
have sufficien: pitch to allow the use of
slate or shingle. Such need not be intri- |
cate or difficult of construction to look
well, but must be honest and useful. They
can be neither unless visible, and here we
see the holy alliance of use and beauty;
Tor the character and expression Of a
building depend almost wholly upon the
roof. You will lose, too, under the fiat
roof, the rOomy garret OF the old high
rooted houses. These have for me a won
deriul fascination. Whether the rain up
On the shingles, the mingled fragrance of
seeds and drying herbs, the surprising big
ness OF the chimney. the mysteries hidden
in the worm-eaten chests, the almost saint.
charm of the long-unused spinning
heels, crumbling mementos of the pa.
tient industry of former generations, or
the stars through the chinks in the shrunk-
en- boards, the old garret and all its asso-
cations are among the ''long, long
thoughts" l sometimes doubt whether
the modern cooveniences we are so fond
Of proclaiming are really an equivalent to
the rising generation for this happiest Of
play-rooms, this storehouse of heirlooms,
this silent but potent tie, that binds us to
the life, the labor and the love Of the past.
Let there be light, too, in this upper