House-Warming
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fromthesameplace.Ilingeredmostaboutthefireplace,asthemostvitalpartofthehouse.Indeed,Iworkedsodeliberately,thatthoughIcommencedatthegroundinthemorning,acourseofbricksraisedafewinchesabovethefloorservedformypillowatnightyetIdidnotgetastiffneckforitthatIremembermystiffneckisofolderdate.Itookapoettoboardforafortnightaboutthosetimes,whichcausedmetobeputtoitforroom.Hebroughthisownknife,thoughIhadtwo,andweusedtoscourthembythrustingthemintotheearth.Hesharedwithmethelaborsofcooking.Iwaspleasedtoseemyworkrisingsosquareandsolidbydegrees,andreflected,that,ifitproceededslowly,itwascalculatedtoendurealongtime.Thechimneyistosomeextentanindependentstructure,standingonthegroundandrisingthroughthehousetotheheavensevenafterthehouseisburneditstillstandssometimes,anditsimportanceandindependenceareapparent.Thiswastowardtheendofsummer.ItwasnowNovember.
Thenorthwindhadalreadybeguntocoolthepond,thoughittookmanyweeksofsteadyblowingtoaccomplishit,itissodeep.WhenIbegantohaveafireatevening,beforeIplasteredmyhouse,thechimneycarriedsmokeparticularlywell,becauseofthenumerouschinksbetweentheboards.YetIpassedsomecheerfuleveningsinthatcoolandairyapartment,surroundedbytheroughbrownboardsfullofknots,andrafterswiththebarkonhighoverhead.Myhouseneverpleasedmyeyesomuchafteritwasplastered,thoughIwasobligedtoconfessthatitwasmorecomfortable.Shouldnoteveryapartmentinwhichmandwellsbeloftyenoughtocreatesomeobscurityover-head,whereflickeringshadowsmayplayateveningabouttherafters?Theseformsaremoreagreeabletothefancyandimaginationthanfrescopaintingsorotherthemostexpensivefurniture.Inowfirstbegantoinhabitmyhouse,Imaysay,whenIbegantouseitforwarmthaswellasshelter.Ihadgotacoupleofoldfire-dogstokeepthewoodfromthehearth,anditdidmegoodtoseethesootformonthebackofthechimneywhichIhadbuilt,andIpokedthefirewithmorerightandmoresatisfactionthanusual.Mydwellingwassmall,andIcouldhardlyentertainanechoinitbutitseemedlargerforbeingasingleapartmentandremotefromneighbors.Alltheattractionsofahousewereconcentratedinoneroomitwaskitchen,chamber,parlor,andkeeping-roomandwhateversatisfactionparentorchild,masterorservant,derivefromlivinginahouse,Ienjoyeditall.Catosays,themasterofafamily(patremfamilias)musthaveinhisrusticvilla“cellamoleariam,vinariam,doliamulta,utilubeatcaritatemexpectare,etrei,etvirtuti,etglori?erit,”thatis,“anoilandwinecellar,manycasks,sothatitmaybepleasanttoexpecthardtimesitwillbeforhisadvantage,andvirtue,andglory.”Ihadinmycellarafirkinofpotatoes,abouttwoquartsofpeaswiththeweevilinthem,andonmyshelfalittlerice,ajugofmolasses,andofryeandIndianmealapeckeach.
Isometimesdreamofalargerandmorepopuloushouse,standinginagoldenage,ofenduringmaterials,andwithoutginger-breadwork,whichshallstillconsistofonlyoneroom,avast,rude,substantial,primitivehall,withoutceilingorplastering,withbareraftersandpurlinssupportingasortoflowerheavenoverone’shead,—usefultokeepoffrainandsnowwherethekingandqueenpostsstandouttoreceiveyourhomage,whenyouhavedonereverencetotheprostrateSaturnofanolderdynastyonsteppingoverthesillacavernoushouse,whereinyoumustreachupatorchuponapoletoseetheroofwheresomemayliveinthefire-place,someintherecessofawindow,andsomeonsettles,someatoneendofthehall,someatanother,andsomealoftonrafterswiththespiders,iftheychooseahousewhichyouhavegotintowhenyouhaveopenedtheoutsidedoor,andtheceremonyisoverwherethewearytravellermaywash,andeat,andconverse,andsleep,withoutfurtherjourneysuchashelterasyouwouldbegladtoreachinatempestuousnight,containingalltheessentialsofahouse,andnothingforhouse-keepingwhereyoucanseeallthetreasuresofthehouseatoneview,andeverythinghangsuponitspeg,thatamanshoulduseatoncekitchen,pantry,parlor,chamber,store-house,andgarretwhereyoucanseesonecessaryathingasabarreloraladder,soconvenientathingasacupboard,andhearthepotboil,andpayyourrespectstothefirethatcooksyourdinnerandtheoventhatbakesyourbread,andthenecessaryfurnitureandutensilsarethechiefornamentswherethewashingisnotputout,northefire,northemistress,andperhapsyouaresometimesrequestedtomovefromoffthetrap-door,whenthecookwoulddescendintothecellar,andsolearnwhetherthegroundissolidorhollowbeneathyouwithoutstamping.Ahousewhoseinsideisasopenandmanifestasabird’snest,andyoucannotgoinatthefrontdoorandoutatthebackwithoutseeingsomeofitsinhabitantswheretobeaguestistobepresentedwiththefreedomofthehouse,andnottobecarefullyexcludedfromseveneighthsofit,shutupinaparticularcell,andtoldtomakeyourselfathomethere,—insolitaryconfinement.Nowadaysthehostdoesnotadmityoutohishearth,buthasgotthemasontobuildoneforyourselfsomewhereinhisalley,andhospitalityistheartofkeepingyouatthegreatestdistance.Thereisasmuchsecrecyaboutthecookingasifhehadadesigntopoisonyou.IamawarethatIhavebeenonmanyaman’spremises,andmighthavebeenlegallyorderedoff,butIamnotawarethatIhavebeeninmanymen’shouses.ImightvisitinmyoldclothesakingandqueenwholivedsimplyinsuchahouseasIhavedescribed,ifIweregoingtheirwaybutbackingoutofamodernpalacewillbeallthatIshalldesiretolearn,ifeverIamcaughtinone.
Itwouldseemasiftheverylanguageofourparlorswouldloseallitsnerveanddegenerateintopalaverwholly,ourlivespassatsuc