The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-12-13
The Comedy of Home Building
Williams

The Fred CAROLS had observed that
the erection of state capitols, Carnegie
libraries and other important edifces
was inaugurated with a formal cere-
mony called. Turning up the first
sod" Therefore, since their house in
the country was to be an important
edifce. they decided to have a cere-
mony Of their own.
So when at last the great day in
their history arrived, toward which
years of dreaming and designing had
carried them, they honOred certain in
innate friends and relatives with an
invitation to witness the turning up
of their first sod by Frederic Carroll,
,Tr., aged FIVE, appropriately dressed in
his blue iumpers-which seemed more
suitable to him and to digging than
the frock coat and silk hat generally
worn on such occasions by his fellow
turners-up of first sods Since he was
the chief cause of their going in for
building a little country place (nstead
of waiting until they could afford a
big one), it seemed only fair that he
should do this much of the work.
But when it came to the formal mo-
ment, Frederick, Jr., did not seem to
look at it that way. He liked the
niekel-plated spade well enough, ex-
cept for the ribbons, but it seemed
that he was not given to digging be-
fore audiences. He never had done
that sort of thing-he never would, ne
decided. His adoring aunts were tell
ing him how much like an angel ne
looked in his darling little Overalls.
His respectful uncles were focusing
cameras upon his darling little curls.
A sentimental grandparent was re-
Winding him that it would be such a
nice thing to recall in after years. NO
wonder he didn't care to proceed with
the ceremony.
In short, he threw up the job, threw
down the nickel-plated spade, and took
refuge under the automobile when
had brought him out into the coun-
try. He had long intended to do a
bit of independent exploring there
ANYWAY. and from this greasy retreat,
whence no one could conveniently
vank him. he made it quite clear that
he did not care a hang whether ne ever
had a nice house for baby to play IN
or not. and refused to come out until
brihed with a box of candy. Thus, at
the verv start of their building opera
tiops the CAROLS had a strike on
their hands.
However. the guests enioved the
champagne in which the building OPP
Srations were toasted, especially the
bachelors. who had no houses or emil
dren to bother with, and they glbed
Fred upon the conduct of his name
sake: and the house was begun at any
rate. That was the main thing.
II was actually begun! With men
and teams digging up the ground IN 4
most oblivious, businessllke manner,
quite as if it were to be real mousse
Int II vast And that seemed the most
astonishing thing about 1t. Iheir
bouse was to be no longer merely on
paper. 1t was to sprout up from the
ground and grow and find itself ana
become a home, real home for people
+o live in. for children to be born IN,
- scene for weddings and funerals
nerhaps: a background for memories,
GOOD times and bad times, the hum
drum happenings of daily existence, as
we'll as the more vivid emotional eX'
neriences occasionally, which together
mako the sum of life and cause houses
+o he so much more personal ana I'M
nortaut than mere edItices or SUCKS
and stones and brick and plaster.
Well now that work was actualiy
baqpn. the CAROLS, who, IN their en-
tbnsiasm, had rented place nearby,
believed that their troubles were over
AT last. All they had to do now was
ia lean back and watch the beauti1ul
thing q+ow. How many innocent nome,
L,,;Idars have made the same mistake!
Tbpir real troubles had only just be
gun Also their real fun. for that
matter.
For a while il grew with astonishing
rapiditv. The wonderful cellar was
exeavated with the greatest ease and
hardly any occasion for blasting.
THAT means said Fred enthusiast
callv. "that we are saving money!
Blasting is very expensive. The con-
tractor saws he figured on blasting in
his original bid. Weren't we clever to
briId on a percentage basis2 And yet,
thew saw artists aren't practical. We
can be as practical as ANYBODY When
we make up our minds to it. 1t 5 only
shat usually there are more important
things to think about
y
think il necessary for them to-do that
So mueh9' She indicated workman
shifting impiously into their cellar.
hpparentIv the workman failed to real
ize that this was potentially lady 5
house. But copious splitting seemed TO
he a necessary accompaniment to hon
est workmanship, and so the Carrolls
generously overlooked it in the JOY OF
their sense of possession. Here was "a
visible. tangible piece of the world, all
their own. "Let's take stroll over
the estate Fred would say. 49,,
shall we cross the moors TO-DAY
Molly would ask. That was the IeVel
plot where the tennis court was
planned. .sOr wander down to tne
game preserve?' That was the souIh-
east corner of the lot where the
bushes were thick. They also poe,
scssed a copse, it seemed, but theLe
were no fens. 1t was too bad ABOUT
the fcu-. but they couldn't have every
thing. If they had everything the3
= would miss the luxury of desire anu
that would be the worst thing IN the
world.