Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-11-01
ROOF AND BACK YARD.
A SPECIAL SUMMER RESORT FOR
EVERY PRIVATE RESIDENCE.
Valuable Room on the Housstops Wasted
-ireclaimins the Domain Of the
Nomadis Cat-A Charming
S.Ay-at- Home Florida
New FORK Cor. Kansas CITY Times,

S.Ay-at- Home Florida.
tNew Torx Cor Kansas CITY Timesl
It is surprising, also. that New Workers
have not sc. Earned to get more good out
OF the:. roofs and back yards. The inhab-
itants of tenement houses have native Tor
iinportedl wit enough To take to the roof as
sleeping place in summer; but what the
well-to-do citizan needs is not so much to go
10 sleep ON his roof IS to wake up to its
pleasure-giving facilitisx A night or TWO
ago l was disturbed by some slight explos-
ions On the roof under which l find shelter,
and discovered that two young men from
an ad joining house had come over to prac-
tice pistol shooting ct a target against one
of my chimneys 1t is perhaps carrying
the progressive movement a little too far to
establish pisto, ranges en- the housetops
But an important lesson may be learned
from the Illuminated summer garden On the
SUNNI. Of the Casino, and the open air res
taurant on the root of Mr. Cyrus ". Fields
Washington building, near the Bowling
Green, where enc may dine in full COM
m.nd of view over the entire harbor and q
large part Of the city, with variagated and
picturesque expanses of water dotted by the
colored lights Of ferries and shipping on the
mo hand ard on the other dusky stretches
of masonry furrowed with dim lanes OF gas
light or irradiated from the circle; of cleo
trio lamps in the public squares. There is
10 reason Why every private house should
not have its special summer resort provided
with awnings and flowers on the roof. At
such an altitude the evening air is nearly
always cool and refreshing even On the hot
test nights
Nor need the uiefulness Of the kousetop
end with the warm months. In Twenty
seventy street, rear Fifth avenue, is sta
bic on the roof Of which stands large hot
house, whers profusion Of green plants
ard rose bushes grow all winter, making a
pretty spectacle for the passer by. The
sugge ton which it offers opens up a whole
new order of delightful retreats which
might be provided for winter, q sort OF
stay-at-home Florida, which could bs en-
joyed by the slight effort of riding up in an
elevator. Invalids could get their sun bath
in such places when unable to walk or
drive cut. Apartment houses and hotels in
particular could maintain these conserva-
tories to advantage; and they would be just
rs desirable in other cities rs in New York.
Eastern and western papers please copy.
/ am led to these reflections Just now by
tine experience of n recent call on some Eu-
ropean acquaintances who have settled lat
terly in New York. l speak of them as Eu-
ropeans because it would be hard to say ex-
actly what country they claim as their own.
They have lived in St Petersburg. Vic ma,
Berlin and Paris, in short, wherever the
journalistic duties OF the head of the house
have happened to call him. On the evening
Of my call the parlors were darksned, but
-
the presence Of the family somewhere on
tic premises The servant took the card,
disappeared and ret 1rnei in a few moments
with an invitation to "Step out into the back
yard"
Ordinarily this would be considered any
thing but fiatterins invitation to a visitor;
but feeling sure that however mysterious
the summons. was safe, / allowed myself
to he conducted to the basement and through
a door, opening on the space usually reserved
behind every New York house. The custom
is to make this stu iiouly forlorn enclosure
about 4Jx20 or u feet On Mondays AMI
Tuesdays it is given up to the drying Of
clothes, and on the nights OF all days in the
week it is sacredly kept as rendezvous
FOR the nomadic cat tho ail-board fences
between yards being used as high
ways by thee smali, tame tigers in
their journeys from one enclosure to
another founi that my European friend
had banishei the cats AMI hai erected
lite pavilion ut the rear eni
OF his yard, furnishing IT with chairs and
tables and lighting it with gas. Trailing
vines served to shut out the suns rays in the
daytime, so that in the evening the pavilion
formed I. cool AMI delightful family sitting
room
Il Lad this place built as soon as We
moved IN said my host as seated myself
in a reclining chrir AMI accepted the glass
Of lcer profarci by his wife. I've have
besl the wonder Of the whole eighborhood
ever since we Logan 10 spend cur evenings
Le-e iusteal OF the hot par!ors. The cat,
next door receive on Mondays in August
but otherwise they don: trouble the Eeish-
borhooi much now. AMI SO we sit here en-
j9ying the quiet, while all the other people
in the bloei; silently swslter indoor.
The prescriptive rights OF the cat in New
York are very strong: that my friends
invasion OK their territory is perhaps
frownei upon BY citizen who still believe
in feline supremacy over the back yard.
But in time this superstition may die out,
and then his example will doubtless be imi-
tatel By the way, hear that we'll
known electrician is completing o house in
Thrty-sixth street which is to be quite
a marvel in the number and variety of
is electrical arrangements The hall
lamp lights by electricity at the opening
Of the front door: the clocks will all run
uniformly by electricity; flowers AMI plants
in the con ervatory are to be grown by
electric light; the electric engine will pump
up water: Thermometers in various rooms,
connected b. electric wire with a ther-
III ilneter ont Of doors. viii register the ex-
ternal temperature; there will be electric
ventilating fans. AMI suuiry other contriv-
ancc, are contemplated.
Il would seem a if the list might be made
complete by adding an attachment for Civ
ing shock u burglars AMI for the expul-
SION II the above m sntionsi cat from the
back yard. Life would then become conn
psrativcly enlurable.