l.Iir. IN TIEE COUNTIiy. 



countrv parlor. We residents of the country liave but little company in tlie winter, 

 ai\il in the summer the parlor is deserted for the lawn and the garden. 



My drawings and specifications I presented to several builders, but to my udrr 

 astonishment I found them to be a set of sharpers, as all of them wanted to chai'i;'' 

 me double the price tbe architect declared the house could be built for. In this 

 dilemma I applied to Mr, Arcuitrave — the celebrated architect I had. employed — 

 who confirmed my suspicions as to the character of builders generally, by stating tliitl 

 as a class, they were always really to impose upon the inexperienced, and in such cases 

 would charge double a fair and remunerative price. He advised me to hire men by 

 the day, employ a good mechanic as foreman, and in this way he assured me I could 

 build mv house for less than the estimate. This plan pleased me, as by it I should not 

 only get my house built at a fair price, but eftectually circumvent the men who were 

 endeavoring to take advantage of my inexperience. 



I acted upon this advice, but sad to relate, my house was not half finished, and tlie 

 money I had appropriated to this purpose was exhausted. This was my first hard 

 lesson. The house unfinislied was useless, worse than useless — an unsightly object — a 

 monument of folly. It must be finished. So I continued to advance cash, as required, 

 and vhen the building was completed it had cost more than double the architect's 

 estimate, and one-fourth more than the proposed contract price of the builders, which 

 I had believed so exorbitant. But the house was done, and I thought myself prclty 

 well done for. There was some satisfaction, however, in knowing the last day's work 

 to be done, and the last bill paid, as my funds had been sufiering from a rapid decline 

 ever since the commencement of the work, 



I always endeavor to derive some benefit even from my mistakes and misfortunes, 

 and having taken some lessons in the high school of experience, I feel competent to 

 give advice. My knowledge cost me a trifle, but my readers are welcome to it without 

 charge. 



If you are about to build, first determine on the number of rooms you need, their 

 size and arrangement, and then build the house to suit the rooms. Don't first deter- 

 mine the size and form of the house, and arrange the rooms to suit it. This is as fool- 

 ish as building a good house on a poor foundation. Arrange the rooms so as to be 

 convenient to each other. It is a poor plan to place the kitchen in one comer of the 

 house, and the dining-room in another. 



Never build a house in a hurry, or you will repent it at your leisure. 



Don't think yon can build a large house for a small price ; or that you have any 

 particular faculty that will enable you to build much cheaper than your neighboi-s, or 

 you will be deceived. You may be quite a genius, but genius will not pay for bricks 

 and mortar. 



Arrange your plan thoroughly and satisfactorily, even to the smallest details, before 

 you commence building. Changes afterwards are troublesome and expensive. 



After you have obtained an estimate from two or three competent, reliable builders, 

 be assured that your house will cost you the sum estimated. Don't try to beat them 

 at their own trade. The experiment will make you a wiser, and perhaps a sadder man. 

 If you can not aflbrd to build so costly a house, change your plan 



