Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-08-15
OUTDOOR pAaLoRs.

When see house in process OF build.
ing, without liberal allowance of piazzas
! resent it almost as personal injury, al.
though there may be no reasonable proba-
bility that shall ever sit under that mans
vine or fig tree. The vine, especially, would
be altogether fgurative without the mate
rial support Of veranda. As good rule
would be in building first make your piaz-
"a, then attach house to it. The indoor
parlor is sure to be provided for with the
usual amount of sofas and draperies but the
outdoor parlor is too often like rent
the accident of day. "Sball we run
out railing here and few steps, and
have a veranda! Z" asked paterfamilias in
dubious sort of way, and his wife
usually assents, for she does not dislike
the idea, although she would sooner part
with this appendage than give up the valu-
able inclosure at the back of the kitchen,
which is so particularly handy as sort of
storehouse and place for the doing of odd
jobs. The enthusiasm comes from the
girls, who know the value of front piazza
with thick, green curtain OF honeysuckle
and wistaria, making shady retreat
through the long June days, and the torrid
August moons, fragrant, like carefully kept
linen with delicious country smells-clover
and fresh bay, in place Of lavender and
se-leaves-strong distilled sweetness of
woedbine, faint whiffs of c'ematis and
roses. And when the moonlight comes
and traces a lattice.work of leaves on the
piazza floor, and touches with lambert light
each spray and corner,
Making earth's commonest things appear
All romaDtic, poetic, and TENDER
the outdoor parlor is in its glory. 1t is
the most delightful, dreamy lounging-
place, where the odor of fragrant Havanas
is apt to mingle with the honey suckle, and
the steps ara frequently occupied by half
visitors, who could scarcely move them
selves up to the formula of regular call.
How charming is its twilight darkness to
class of people who do most of their CONVEX
sation in whispers, and who are seldom
characterized as great talkers-who look
upon the brightness of the indoor psrlor
and its animated groups without any
feelings of envy, assured that whatever
good times there are in the world they are
having them What would lovers do if
there were no piazzas?
Some piazzas are simply an evaporation,
SO narrow that the steps rudely crowd the
front door, instead Of keeping their dis.
lance, as they should do, and only cross.
ing the front of the house. This is a
great mistake. There should be at
least two sides to veranda to allow
of one corner, and three if possible.
while it should certainly measure four yards
in width. We are speaking now of the
piazza for moderate house-moderate In
every way. Hudson river castles and
similar mansions elsewhere have their full
complement of generous verandas; it is
the middle.class houses that suffer.
[Scribner's Monthly.
The great plains of Ada and Cassia
counties, Idaho, contain millions of acres
now lying waste, but capable of being
made to 1'blossoms as the rose" by the
introduction of system of canals. Nor
is this impracticable. as the Boise and
Snake rivers carry an immense body of
water, which can be utilized in retaining
lands that are now valueless even for
pasturage purposes. It is claimed that
by means Of this irrigation this section
might be made immensely profitable in
the culture of sugar beets and the manu-