T1IK fllll.DRKN S ATTIC. 



75. AT Fork BEECHES. 



the attic was not contem 



plated. Only a small part 



of its area was fitted with 



i floor, to take empty 



boxes, and it was reached 



&amp;lt;&amp;gt;;&amp;gt;ly bv a trap-door. In 



consequence, the joists 



though provide l of ample 



strength for their original 



purpose, viz., of carrying 



the ceiling below, were 



not stout enough to sup- 



port a floor on which 



&amp;lt; h i 1 (1 re n ini^lit safely 



romp, and particular care 



was needed to prevent 



disturbance of the plaster 



work of the ceiling during 



the substitution o t 



stronger timbers. But lor 



this s t r en g t h e n i n 



of joists the cost would 



not have exceeded hftv 



pounds. The vertical 



parts of the walls are 



match-boarded, so that 



note the paternal caution expressed in a phrase set down rcrhiitiin- &quot; the kids can hack into i without 



damage,&quot; am! the slopes and ceiling are covered with patent slabs. These are excellent non-conductors 



ot heat and cold ; they save the cost of lathing, and are stronger than ordinary plaster. Access was 



provided by the sacrifice of a large cupboard on the first floor, which vielded space lor a staircase up to 



the attic. The picture itself explains the rest. Not only the big table at the far end, but the little one 



with its tixed benches in the tiny bay formed by the dormer, are sanctuaries where the solemnities of 



nursery teas may duly be performed. 



Beyond the fireplace on the left is a nook, where rests the baby s playground. Here it is out ot 



the way of those disasters which involve the youngest-horn in damage irretrievable, when his elder-- 



pursue the fierce jo\&amp;gt; of trick rollt r- 

 skating without due regard to the 

 rights of minorities. The person mostly 

 concerned witli the use of this children s 

 paradise named it at first sight the 

 Twopenny Tube, but this title can In- 

 given with even more reason to a 

 cricketer s attic, which is also illus 

 trated. It is rare that adequate room 

 can he found for the largtr games, but 

 this loft belongs t -. a lar^e house, and 

 the needful length of pitch is available. 

 The careful housewife may perhaps be 

 aflrighted by visions of broken glass ; 

 but all the windows are set in dormers 

 of large projection, as is clearly shown 

 by the photograph. Only those nearest 

 to the batsman are, therefore, endan 

 gered, and they can easily be protected 

 by wirework. Needless to say. a soft 

 ball is desirable rather than an ordinary 

 cricket ball, which would soon wreck tne 

 plaster of the ceiling. The playroom at 

 Sandhouse, Witley, brings us to the mov 

 ing pleasures of see-saw and rocking- 

 horse (Fig. 77). The attic here differs from 



76. BIG ENOUGH FOR CRICKET. 



