Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-05-13
LIFE IN A LOG CABIN.
A GROTESCUG AND COMFORTABLY
UNCOMFORTABLE HOME.
The Colonel Takes Advantage Of HIS
Wife's Love Of the Picturesque
Pleasing visitors with Dear
Old Log House."

the architecture OF Florida Is as queer Is
it is lrirnitive. New England people are
taking the lead now in building compare
lively comfortable dwellings, but the aver
age houses of the settlements are more
shells, many Of them bare and comfortless,
without fireplaces. excepting in the kitchen.
| and with crevices in some places SO conzid.
cradle that on, need not 60 to tn, window %
see the orange trees in bloom. On one Of the
best plantations, here, that which formerly
belonged 70 our good Col Blank, there
stands grim, time battered and shattered
| log hut that looks as il it might have q his
| tory And it has The colonel was build
| ing house, a good house, in which the
chimneys played an important part, In
which We're to be no cracks Or unsightly
partition, and it was to 30 done at a certain
| time. His wife had been notified an made
| all her arrangements accordingly. mong
other things she was to complete the sale Of
their city property, which she did with the
promptness and business ability Of .
woman. On her part there was no delay.
Arrears were paid, furniture packed and on
its way, and finally she started, having sent
the customary letter, which surprised tho
| colonel at cards
Il wouldn't have given up this hand un-
der any other circumstances for $50" said
| the COlOuel, Oul mere NY "iic CoiAAhAAS Win
two visiting friends and the house not roofed
in yet, though was promised it should be
done by the 5th and now it Is the 18th"
am afraid to repeat the words that followed
They we're not suggestive Of a soul at ease or
| mind at peace with its surroundings. On
occasions the colonel could be profane and
this was an occasion. PITY there wasn't .
log cabin ON the premises" said his friend,
| "woman always take to logs. I've known
them to go into raptures over a moldy old
tenement cabin on my place where the vines
grew through the crevices and the chimney
was humpbackcd AMI the old thing so smoky
that one would have cried on a Fourth Of
July, when they wouli scarcely raiss their
| voices TO speak in praise of my fine modern
house with all the convenienc.s.'
@rve got raft OF logs" sail tho colonel
catching at the ide1, his hanl som, facs re.
turning to its natural serenity. 1T won't
take more than a couple OF days, with q big
force, to set it ~. It's the only thing l can
do. for there isn't finished room in the
house, and besides, a log cabin seems the
thing for Florida.
The next day every darksy within half o
dozen miles was busy hauling and building,
and the place went up like magic. At tho
time appointed tie colonel met his wife at
the UepDl, though tueTe WAS no ueplt tucIes
only a shell so called for courtesy.
Mr. Blank, with her elegantly attired
city friends, met him with smiles.
Dolly said the colonel, I'm awfully
sorry, but tho hous, isn't furnished !"
Chorus of ga mys" and "Oh dears," and
questions about q hotelD
There isn't hotel within q score Of miles,
and boarding houses don't grow herea bouts. y
said the colonel, 'but if you wouldn't mind
the discom.orts of a log cabin Here
there were soft squeals OF approval A log
cabin! Oh, too charming! Just what they
hal wanted to see and live in all their lives.
So admirably suited to the climate. too,
Was ever anything II Re- delightful We'll,
ladies, | hopo your enthusiasm will outiive
the experience of week or two laid the
colonel. a, Ia, he!p,d TEN int, his big
wagon. 1T WAS the best | could do, SO il
you dom obj.c., Well take dinner there
tbs evening"
The colonel BAN u dom, site sort Of man,
had completed most Of the arran ;emeuts for
NAL His workmen had built table,
ou.h-hewa logs served for Chairs, while a
temporary staging had b,en erected, max
in- two mug rooms above that coul lie
reached iy ia itier Around tho cabin
were sheive, AID the Few articles of hou q
hold furniture that the colonial had brought
with Lin. Therefore, when he ushersd
them in where table wa already spre nd with
a snowy cloth and set with a variety Of
: dishes, and a big fire blazing in the chin
ney-p.ace their admiration knew no boun Is.
Ii was 20 picturesque, So novel. So just
like what a Fl Irila home could be, So de-
J lightfully groto qu,, So comfortably I'M
comfortable! In les than hour they
| 81 1lfiu- tho srrN Il ftfltnT l.a.-
kets with the great pine cones that max, O
hot, yellow L;az', AMI pr testing that Flor.
ida was the most delicious AMI Romantic
| Place on the globe.
We'll, if you'll believe il, said the colo.
mel, who told ME the story himself Il could
hardly get my wife out OF tina. 10, cabin
= though she hal TO work there Ter than
she ever did in her life. And when company
came in AMI she was caught up stairs a
she cal Il it. an l didn't like to come dowr
on the lad Ter, 1 have known her TO entertain
them percieI up there, and they sitting
, down below, for a COOL hour. To this day
. sh, tells ma she never enjoyed her life 81
much as wlen We lived for a season in thai
old log cabin.
And the companyr said l.
, oh, they never got into the Housewives
cared to- Some Of the carpenters were sics
l and some moved away, and 1t was severa
, mo;,ths before it was finished. Meantme
we Wen: on excursion gave parties-kid
glove parties, too, if you pleass-and wher
our friends left u, it was with IN ore rsal rs
. gre: for leaving the old log cabin, l verify
believe, than for parting with US. To thi
: day they revert in their letters to that dea,
. old log house and beg me not to take il
? down So there it stands, falling to pieces
bit by bit. | let it alone for the sake Of old
| time