The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-04-29
On Cakin9 Comfort.

By PRUDENCE wlNTERGREEN.


that It affects other people in much the
same way. The idea that freplaces are a
good thing 10 have In the house has reach
ed the American architect and he usually
puts in enough for theeriness, but how
many Of your friends are there who use
theirs except when driven to DO 30 by the
inclemency Of the weather? Come. how
many houses DO you know where an open
hre Is considered-as II deserves TO be
contradictions OF the spiritual necessi-
ties of existence-lfke music, or books. or
flowers? Most women say: Oh. well.
1t isn't really cold this morning
-or this evening and it does
litter up the fireplace sol It's too
muh trouble to have a fire when YOU
don't really need one That Is as absurd
as II she were TO say. oh. It's too much
trouble to put flowers on the tabie--we
never eat them. you know or, It's too
mwh trouble to play to John--it isn't as
II music really nourished himr"
I fell to thinking. II guess that's
straight" / admitted II know woman
who radiates comfort in her home and out
Of tia regular Happy Home furnace OF
a lady-whom we all go to when we want
chippering up bit, and. though I never
thought OF II before, remember now
that an open fire is one OF the things she
has around most of the time. Also tea
tray Also kitten They're part of the
tools OF her trade
Miranda nodded in a satisfied way. "A
garden Is another good thing to have In
the house." she said. Last summer !
visited the happiest young pair 1 ever
knew. and every night after dinners
dinner for a gourmet. too-we made
Journey 10 the garden, where the nfan of
the house hoed his tomatoes vigorously.
while his wife watered the sweet peas,
and we all exclaimed over the havoc the
ncighbors chickens had wrought during
the day, and commented upon the de-
veiopment the six heads of cabbage had
made In twenty-four hours There was
usually a sunset going on, too. 1t really
seemed as IL the skies took pains 70 light
up for the half hour that we played about
that garden--the size OF a pocket hand
kerehief. for real estate Is expensive IN
that town--or pulled up piantain on the
lawn. And the dog came. too. and told
the neighbors' chickens what he thought
OF them. and then We would all go back
and the Are would be lit. II 1t we're cool
enough to AFFORD the heat excuse, and we
would have poetry and music around the
hearth until bedtime They know how to
make themselves at home in the world.
those people. and | would rather 20 on
with them for a days froIic than anybody
else I know. Depend upon Il. II Is the
people who know how TO handle the little
overlooked material things who know how
TO gos the most fun out OF life Why, see
here. tell me what you like best to think
OF when you are tired or overwrought or
have a headache coming on"
[ thought hard for a minute or two:
'Crocuses coming up through the grass
they way they used to do at home when /
was years old The first hepaticas that
blossomed on Cedar ridge-that was dur
ing my sthooi days. The autumn nights
I used to gailop about on horseback over
the hilIs-I was is then--and come home
late and so tired / could Just slip or nv
saddle and tumble to the supper table.
There used to be hot gingerbread and
plum sauce for supper II had been con-
suited on the menul The great wash OF
tina cool rreen waves on the Pacific
haathes long ago when / was daring and
wa,,la so out ana out and lump the break
n-s 70 .rv ane wo,,ia so with me. driving
pa.t annie orchards IN hlossom-a mile of
pink-and- white sweetness--on one side