The Saint Paul globe., 1903-07-05
Il4'~""t ~""t's~r~~~ctNNlr
copyright, 1908 by, w. NJ. Butterheld.l
q CORNER OF TIE CABIN .

ITO ride upon the bosom or the raging
main or sleep on its placid breast is de-
lightful to those nautically inclined. Those
who live in floating domiciles upon tie
rivers and bayous can also ''sing ho! sing
heyl for a life on the bounding main," as
they may be classed with the nautical fra
ternity. Theirs is the life Of the rover, and,
like the nomad they may ''steal silently
away" although no tent be folded in the
process. With the aristocratic members Of
the floating house" community-those who
live in more or less expensive homes for
pleasure only-moving day is fraught with
dignity commensurate, with the importance
Of the home. Some have proPelling appa-
ratus as part OF the fittings and move ma
Jestfcally from place to place without aid.
1t may be a steam contrivance or the com
monplace sail. Others are towed by launch
or tug. while some are put upon fat cars
and shipped long distances overland. In
this way change Of scene ard even climate
can be had and the home and furnishings
remain unchanged in all locations For
those who have summer houses this ability
10 change location at will is in many ways
desirable, for change Is not always to be
found in fixed residence.
/ The cost of land and the trouble incurred
IN the effort to dispose of country home are
also features important In the choice be-
Some pretentious homes are designed for
either land or water, and many Of these are
quite as expensive and large and as elabo-
rately furnished as fixed houses. For the
man of business whose days in the city are
filed with hustle and strife nothing is so
restful as the floating cottage. Moored in
the peaceful bend Of the stream, he may sit
quiet, undisturbed with pipe in mouth and
rod in hand, and mediate. "For l shall tell
Z, 4frV~A6 1Oflo IN hath
risen, and it remains yet unsolved, whether
the happiness of man in this world doth
consist more In contemplation or in action,
Concerning which some have endeavored to
maintain their opinion of the first by saying
that the nearer we mortals come to God by
way of imitation the more happy we are.
And they say that God enjoys himself only
by contemplation Of His own Infniteness,
Eternity, Power and Goodness and the like.
And upon this ground many clotsteral men
of great learning and devotion prefer con-
temptation before action. And, on the
contrary, there want not men of equal au-
thority and credit that prefer action to be
more excellent; namely, experiments IN
physic, and the application of it, both for
the ease and prolongation of mans life, by
which each man is enabled to act and do
good to Others. Concerning which two
opinions l shall forbear to add a third by
declaring my own, anC rest mYSelr contented
In telling you, my very worthy friend, that
both these meet together, ard do most prop
erly belong to the most honest ingenious,
quiet and harmless art of angling"
So did Izaak Walton write in behalf of the
mobile sport" of fishing. Certainly there is
no lack of opportunity in this direction in
the floating house. For the Sthdent or the
sage there is boundless opportunity for
study. To be sure it cannot be said that
the small boy or the average fisherman who
sits for hours gazing into the water or idly
watching the floating bob is either contem-
plating or studying the wonders about him,
and so you can question the studiousnesS OF
the idler who devotes his attention to the
leaves or the grass, yet some there are who
observe and study. An ingenious Spaniard
says that rivers and the inhabitants of the
watery element " ere made for wise men to
contemplate and fools to pass by without
contemplation"
God quickened in the sea and in the rivers
So many fishes and so many features
That in the waters we may see all creatures
Ey'n all that upon the earth are to be
found,
As if the world were in deep waters drowned.
For Seas, as well as Skies, have Sun, Moon,