Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-04-15
MAINE EDITORIAL COMMENT.
On Building q House.

just yet LOT Snow TeHidlilS IA Oh PelI"
Of middle and northern Maine. the frost
has not left the ground and nc build
ing operations can be attempted. Just
the same, however, there are scores ana
scores OF people consulting plans OF
homes, reading descriptions OF new
houses, deciding of what materials the
house shall be built and how the
grounds shall be laid out. It is very
pleasant occupation.
There has long been an old proverb
about this sort Of business that fools
build houses and wise men live In
them" This does not find application
in Bangor and we are not speaking to
or of Bangor, Just now, but to the larg-
er number of our readers all over
Maine. The truth of the proverD. how
ever, is apparent. Men snend lots OF
money in building elegant houses; their
exterior is attractive and every part of
the Interior is luxurious and enjoyable.
1t not only costs money to build them
but more to live in them. SO there
comes time when the house is solds
The wise man invests his money and
purchases for modest sum what cost
it's builder many times more. But he
has fine house which fool built at
great cost
1t is not so in all cases. Occasional
ly a man and his wife build house
which is home-for in this house
Building age man who wants real
home must let his wife plan it just as
she has q fancy-putting in all the
bow windows, the closets, the many lit
tie hooks and recesses, the easy seats,
the cosy corners, the shelves and
drawers in the pantry, the cedar clpset
in the attic for bedding, and all other
neat little, deft little appliances which
make a home so perfect.
Well. the spring is JUST the time for
considering such plans and putting
them in execution. We read all we can
about them, whether we are going to
build a house or not, and we may
sometime. One Of the descriptions of
new houses we have just read is that of
S!ormfield the house of that genial
American whom we all love, Mark
Twain, which he has just built down at
Redding, Conn. We like it. First of
all we like it for it's name; for we be-
lieve every country house should have
a name, especially now that the rural
postman leaves your letters at the door
of YOUR house III the country.
Then Mark has a farm of 200 acres
of land down in the land of steady hab
its and of wooden nutmegs. We believe
in land; we believe in farms. Not farms
of 200 acres like Marks covered with
woods, rocks, bayberry bushes and ce
dars. but in some land. Ten acres was
once said to be enough and SO it is, if
not ten then at least an acre or two. If
YOU think Of building a house buy
little piece of land now. Get a good
view if you can: get some trees; get
little piece of modest mountain, or
high hill, and when you get ready,
build your house.
Perhaps you do not want so much
land as Mr. Clements had. 1t may lead
to inquiries and suspicion. When he
bought his farm down in Connecticut
the country people began to query and
ask what is Mark going to do with
200 acres of land; what is he going to
raiSe?" And the only answer they could
get from Mark was that all he was go7
ing tC raise was sunsets and scenery.
Now sunsets and scenery may not be
very high marketable crops, but they
are all right. When you buy your little
farm or vorr hOuse-lot in the country,
buy some Of these if you can. Donald
G. Mitchell, Tx Marvel, insisted upon
them when he bought his farm near
New Haven. down in Marks Old Con-
necticut, and he lived to enjoy them for
half century. May you enjoy them
fully as long.
RIf about thn hnlISp "b q
getting to it pretty soon or we shall
become lost in this tangle of natural
wildress Of tire land, these bushes and
cedars, scenery and sunsets. 1t is be-
coming true that people are putting
less money into houses than they did
some years ago. They are not building
houses for their neighbors to look at;
they are building them for their own
enjoyment. And in our latitude where
the winters are 50 long and the sum
mers so short, we are getting to love
the open air. We want to live out of
doors. and so we are building small
houses. in a plain way so they may be
in winter, for in summer
We Let them drift and live outside
What joy and a pleasure is the
piazza Who builds a house in
Maine now. without throwing around it
a wide and roOmy veranda, on all it's
pleasant and its shady sides? Provide
for the vcranda when planning your
home in town or in country. AS to the
Of the plan. it will not re-
quire a great amount of thought Build
from the interior. outwards. Let the
light enter. Have plenty of windows
on the sunny side. Build houses low in
the ceiling: have the rooms large yet
not too many in number; have one or
two oper fireplaces: big entrance hall
which may he used for a reception
room
AS for the rest. little matter The
bungalow is all right for woods
house, or seaside camp; but we ques-
ton it for town residence Modified.
it will make good, permanent. all
the year-round home because it is not
costly. And if not costly. you will live
in it yourself and not. sell it to wise
man.
SPARROWS BREAK PLATE GLASS.
East Chicago the Scene Of a Remark