The San Francisco call., 1910-03-27

hope sincerely that he. is happy arnons
them. For. though he often did not
play exactly fair wi til me when we were
choosing sites together, yet bear him
no malice. Some natures naturally
wide as the Sacramento valley, deep as
Tahoe, and sunny as al 4 California.
become as cold as a Maine winter and
treacherous as a Florida swamp when
the bung allow desire grips them. But
other great souls are made only sweet
er and nobIer by the same influence.
There is one peculiarity that both
Bfll and j possessed; we examined the,
ground thoroughly before committing
ourselves: BIZ, have noticed. even
went so far, on occasion, as TO make
q nuisance OF himself IN his mania for
searching every nook and corner Of a
desirable country have succeeded
In estraining n, y ardor. and examine
the different districts with more dis
scrinination and a broader dgnert.
4 BILL: 4 am persuaded. was too Anical
In choosing his lots and building upon
them. In the first place he always
built a structure that was not really
a, bungaIow--or else one only In the
sense in which a suburban millionaire, s.
$4,000 palace is his ngaaows The:
bungalow prop he true bnng alow-.t;
can not cost more than ss;;5 90. 1 lay
that rule down as axiernatic, If 1T:
exceeds that maximum figure hY ever
SO little 1T ceases to be anything save
q prosaic house, mansion, or pa lace.
Bits bungalows were all palaces.
s In fact, Biirs mansions invariably
were too large for his lots, and he
worrying over some artful scheme of
compression by which he might squeeze
the residence as planned into the lot
sas nature and the real estate dealers
made it. 1t was like trying to force
a fat man into a lean pair of trousers
The trousers always split. Once Bill
had the effrontery to ask me, when,
for the nonce. my lot adjoined his, If
wouldn't allow him small portion of
ground upon which his bay window
might rest.
! told Bill that the purchase of two
contiguous lots would solve tho prob
lem for him, but Bill said, tartly. that
he did not propose to dodge the issue
in any such manner, but to meet II
breast to breast and overcome it. I re-
plied-rather wittily, thought-that
didn't intend to reinforce his breast
with hunk of my lot, and pointed out
that the acquisition of two lots would
be lodging the issue, only to seize upon
it unaware and, throwing it down, sit
upon 1t for all time Bill answered.
THAT sounds like the sort of advice
one would expect an old hen to give
and 1 did not deign to continue his
childish squabble.
Friends of mine who have seen Bills
bungalow as it materialized finally as
sure me that Bill solved his problem
by building a structure that seems lost
even on one lot. Bills real money did
not total nearly so large a sum as did
his enthusiastic wealth when in the
midst of bungalow debauch.
Bill rather liked the inland country
while 1 preferred, as / do now, the
ocean views. That is why led Bill
again and again along the Marin shore
between SduSdlltO ana BOllndS, WHlie
1 selected various sites, built imag-
mary bungalows and laid out chicken
yards, flower and vegetable gardens
and marine view natural outdoor sit
ting rooms. AS concession to Bill
we always returned to Sausalito. stri,5-
ing the road somewhere between h1ri
Valley and the bay, through the red
wood country around Tamalpais. B.1.
seemed childishly impressed with Steep
Ravine, and 1 might have built in there
myself were it not for the fact that
the part of the ravine / chose was all
of mile from the ocean, though the
blue water could well be seen simmer
ing at the foot of the canyon and
spreading away as far as sight could
travel. Bill also was impressed with
every other valley over there. though
especially where redwoods were in evil
dence, and toward the last / began to
doubt his Judgment, in spite of the
fact that I had placed surprising
amount Of faith in it when the search
started.
Bill and don't speak now. and re-
greet it very much, for the location of
chicken yard that never was buin is
nothing for two good friends to fall