HOUSE, PLANS, AND SPECIFICATIONS. 39 



name of the maker, and sent him my plan, request 

 ing an estimate. Instead of returning me an esti 

 mate by which I could readily calculate for a little 

 increase of size, the stupid fellow replied that he 

 would come to New York and show me some plans 

 of his own. I wrote a severe letter in answer, saying 

 that I wanted an estimate, not a plan. Since then I 

 have not heard from the gentleman, and believe he 

 is still studying out the beauties of my arrangement, 

 and will, one of these days, come before the world 

 as a great architect on the strength of my abilities. 



Not to be put down or deterred, however, I made 

 other plans, some of which had the kitchen outside, 

 some in the basement, and others on the first floor. 

 In one there was a piazza on all sides, in another 

 there was no piazza whatever ; some had the servants 

 in the garret, others placed them in the cellar. I 

 was ready to erect an entirely new house, or to con 

 vert an old barn that was near the premises into two 

 or three houses. There was nothing that my re 

 sources were not equal to, and the drawings would 

 have furnished quite a new stock in trade for a 

 young architect. 



My friends gave me their advice. They respect 

 ively assured me that I could not live with my kitch 

 en in a wing, and could not exist if it were any 



