New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-08

We hnd gone over our monthly expenses a dozen
Fuel and lights secS
T Ers~isisus ssSSo
Milk bill =. 900
Ash man ~
J Ss for sns g ;s %
Clothing fur Elizabeth at 500 90 per annum $50
Sundries for me- which included ten cents a day
for car fare an occ asional cigar, repairs on
boots and clothing, triilng loans to impo
cun!oas friends, and down town lunches 100.
s"":s . ss sss ss newt sss a 1ssss
House sl ssnt tuning etc. IS IS 90 sc
sum Tota, e1os nc
am Lookkcepcr in a large retail establish,
dollars month, and it will readily be conceived
that the discrepancy between that amount ana the
Indeed and yet we tried to be economical. dressed
plainly, and allowed ourselves very few indul-
gences in the way of books OF amusements and
Elizabeth did the homework herself, In order TO
eXpcnse-poor childl
1t is all that horrid rent she sobbed, 1t eats
M every bit of the nice balance we might have.
dared defy society and live in a tentl"
The door bell sounded loud. imperative sum
Sna opeuea ths do S tS S s 70 %
Tom Holbrooks smiling face He looked qnes-
tioningiy at Elizabeths fearful countenance
Hope I'm not intruding, JohnY Can Just as
well step in another time
Ills tone was so insinuating and it was evil
dent that he suspected some disagreement between
outright, conld well afford to at any sugges-
ton OF domestic jars N our household.
Far from it, Tom" responded goyly. 1t is
only question af figures q mere matter or eX-
pense that we've been troubling our heads over.
Elizabeth l added, in sudden access of tender
wrath. I'm going to conhscate that little account
book of yours. and If you ever dare TO keep an
other I'll burn IT, to ashes
Tom had listened to my explanation with eyes
why, my dear fellow, ran down to see you
tonight with a proposition that bears on that
very question:
Elizabeth was all attention in moment. Tom
had thrown himself into easy chair and pro-
ceedcd 10 make his words Ineligible.
you've IN heard 1Se OF dt5 5ne Eq
Why, man, lbs the biggest find in California since
the days of the gold pacers. An old farmer over
there took fancy into his head TO have an analy
sis made OF some queer-loolling sand ON hls RANCH
aud il proved TO be genuine pozzuolanal"
PczzHolana What, is j. anyhow" inter- r
rupted my wife, who like all women, never will
let a man tell a story In his ownway.
Pozzuoana is a species Of volcanic sand, SINH
lar to the earth in which the Roman s;laeombS are
cXcavated," amably responded Tom: 1t S
largely composed OF silica, in condition 10 be
easily acted upon by the cacic lydrate with Which
and oxide of iron, all of which unite in forming
substance that hardens under water
" But don't understand what 1t is good for
insisted Elizabeth.
"Don't understand. 1t makes the hardest and
most durable cement in the world A house built bull,
of it could be tossed up by an earthquake or rolled
down California Street hill without 50 much as
cracking it. IL is absolutely nre-proof and lmper
vous to water. Houses built of it standing to-
day on tine side of Vesuvius that have resisted the
wear and tear of centuries. From Its easy eX-
traction and simple preparation IL constitutes q
building material as moderate IN cost as 1t is du-
rable n nature, and its adoption will revolution
ize the style of building in the city Farewell to
such architectural anachronisms as certain costly
Mob Hill mansions, with lilmsy wooden struc-
fararr ggixs q.
But haw does II affect you, Tom :? l anx-
iously queled q" should think that being in
the building line, it would naturally be disad-
vantage"
Tom interrupted me, the eloquent enthusiast
resolved into the practical business man.
the thing my partner and went and effected
lease of the ground for ten years
Isn't it risk"
Not bit of it. We are working on sure
basis. The thing is experiment, or course
people are always distrustful Of new projects, no
matter what their excellences. They want first to
man ma would rather il should be his neighbor. Now
we intend TO give the business a boom right away,
to get people interested at the outset and have
concludcd-my PARTNER and THAT the best way
will be to put up sample building and throw 1t
open for the inspection Of the public lie has a
lot in central location down on Leavenworth
Street, an we shall erect cottage there-a real
beauty of architecture, snug and compact with the
latest improvements In plumbing ventilation, and
the like. o, tell you" he cried, carried away by
the enthusiasm of the moment, " 1t will be regu-
lar little daisy of a house, and no mistalSel"
We smiled approval and waited further devel-
opments.
We'll YOU see,' continued Tom the next
thing is who shall occupy the house. AS You know
very we'll I'm NOS married man, and my part
ners wife wouldn't give up their pretty home ~
the Mission for "a dozen pozzuolana mansions.
What We need is some nice quiet family, who ln
consideration Of having the house rent free, Will
take a sort of interest in showing it oil 10 visitors
Now here are you and Elizabeth, paying out, dare
say, round sum every month for this stuffy LITTLE
place CHANGING eoDtemptuouslY about our smtll
parIor and toward the narrow hallway that con-
stituted our sole entrance from the street When
we have the house ready want you to pack your
traps down there and take little solid comfort
] assure YOU" added Tom, in burst OF amlable
fatIery, il win be worth mint Of money to have
q tidy little housewife like Mrs. Elizabeth on the
premises
am not q very demonstrative man, but think
Tom understood the dash made for the front
window. and the rash Elizabeth made after me.
Ills own eyes were moist when we shook hands at
the door q few minutes later.
As the door closed behind his retrcating figure,
Elizabeth doubled up her list at the Sum Total
"VanyuIshci ut last you wrctehcd taing!
shan never be afraid of you again. And 0 John,
in high sstecato OF triumph, IT'S not only tb.
rent, bit the car fares as well. IL VIII put al
least tL,rty dollars a month in our pockets
A week later we stcp...l aroand T.. see the cx
cavs.ons for the new bulldog ana dSn ina. t I'M
ular feature Of after dinner walks s'' That We
grew 10 feel sort Of ownership TN the honse II
was ny no means an cnsy matter 10 re. 'ooS a.
body in the city was curious to inspect the singu
lar edihee that was going up without frame worn
whole structure fall into fragments when the heavy
castings were Joined together
When it WAS completed it was really An elegant
structurc, constructed after the fashion Of Saa
Francisco architects in o style that was mixture
of Cornthian, Ionic, Queen Anne, Moorish and
byzantine The c0raice WIS q marvel In lts way
with varions NEUROLOGICAL notabiiities grlnninf
like row Of decapitsted courtiers OF the time O.
Louis XIV. along the entahlature. and there wes'
striklax alegoxicai groups the front and SID
entrances. But IL was q Substantial, comfortable
ho4e. notwithstanding. with well.arrsnged NJ
kitckea 20 psrioe shaA ehasacaerixes the averags
tenemeBt hsuse Of Fan Francisco.
When the cottage was ~ length ready for 90
nupancy managed TO obtain @ three days vaca
ton, deducted from my monthly salaryJ to hell