The Black Swans 



they do which in all arguments af- 

 fecting domestic arrangements comes 

 to the same thing, and usually they 

 will be right and you will be wrong. 

 So compromise matters right at the 

 outset by doing just what they tell 

 you to do; and yet in giving them the 

 reins in this building business in re- 

 spect to certain things in which they 

 have a natural, and it seems an in- 

 herently intelligent interest, if you 

 have a hobby of your own just insist 

 upon riding it yourself while they are 

 astride their own. 



It so happens that my own special 

 obsession in this home-making proposi- 

 tion is an open fire, and in this par- 

 ticular case the builder to my mind 

 has scored success complete. It is the 

 best fireplace I know. It is broad 

 and deep and lets me do the smoking; 

 and I will also add that the creator 

 of our little design did really well 

 in other details. The outside eleva- 

 tion is generally well regarded. The 



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