The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1907-02-22
ploring the big bungalow we must
learn to call home. All dwellings


are bungalows of various size
structure and shape but all de-
signed with one purpose, supreme
protection from the tropical heat.
Hence very high ceilings, very
thick walls, deep verandas and high
wide doors. To one who does not
understand the necessity for it all
it would seem that Europeans in
India, including the missionaries
live in most luxurious style. But
let such one linger until the hot
season and he will then under
stand that this luxury is not such
but the only means of bearing
the fierce heat. As to the exteri-
or of our bungalow it is just like
the picture you have of it. On its
fiat roof we expect to sleep in sum
mer. This building is made of
''pukKah,' the native name for
cement mixture which is very dur
able. Hence the word has come to
be used to express enduring quail
ties-as when I am told that
member of our church is "puk-
kah" christian I understand that
he is to be depended on.
But the pukkah buildings are
not as cool in summer as the old
style bungalows, like Mr.. CalKins'
with mud walls three feet thick.
Entering from the middle Of the
i front verandah we are in the CEN
trail large room-the drawing room
the top Of which is the highest
part Of the building. The ceiling
here is about Is feet high. The
room is longer than wide hence is
divided by a heavy ''purdah" (cur-
tain) giving the rear half for our
dining room. The house faces
south. Next to the drawing room
on the front side Of the house is
my "dufted'' (study or Office. as
the word really means), This is
the best room in the house to us.
Tonight for it is after evening
services now-Viola and 1 are seat
ed at opposite sides of a large flat
top desk, one side of which I have
given to her-the other mine.
Here we are most of the time at
that part of our work which re-
quires writing or study. In this
room lisa large fire place-rarely
! several chairs and couch.
And book case-large ones set in
the walls. Back of the dufter is
our sleeping room, large and high,
and here Harry and Sukey are
sleeping while we write, the aijah
having put them to bed about Z
o'clock after cup of milk each.
This room is also divided by q
purdah giving my wife her dress
ing and bath room while mine are
just of the dufter.
When I say bath room, I don't
mean porcelain tub with nickel
fixtures, etc, but large room, one
corner of which is a low pukkah
wall which simply marks off and
encloses the part of the cement
floor I am to stand on while dash
ing fresh we'll water over myself
from large earthen bowl or tub.
The finest kind of a morning bath
finished with a brisk rub with
a Turkish bath sheet. The drain
age from this bath corner is simp-
ly thru a hole in the wall into a
sunken basin outside. There is no
sewerage system in India-that I
have heard of altho Cawnpore has
a great central sewer to the Ganges
but no house sewerage.
Such is the description of the
east side of the house the only
part we really use ourselves. The
west side is equally large, a spaci-
GUS room corresponding to dufter
with fire place, large rear room,
two dressing rooms, two more
baths, one Of them for the Young
sters mornings, and all that side Of
the house for guests when they
drop in over night. Long curtains
plain, white and inexpensive are
at all door ways.