The Road to Dumbiedykes 



how to lay the foundations for a suc- 

 cessful fire. Your modern servant 

 knows nothing whatever about back- 

 logs and their proper placing. The 

 wood is just thrown in regardless quite 

 of relative sizes and positions, and the 

 kindling as apt as not will be on top. 

 The prime object of the open fire is 

 good cheer and stimulation. Improp- 

 erly begun is never rightly finished. 

 The fire hesitates, struggles, never 

 really gets a-going, and soon its obvious 

 discouragement reflects depression in 

 the room. The open fire must be free 

 and active. Of course there is nothing 

 like good, sound, dry hickory or drift- 

 wood to give it zest, but these are 

 growing as scarce these days as terra- 

 pin, and often time we find ourselves 

 trying to make believe we are satisfied 

 with some half-decayed old stuff, jollied 

 along at frequent intervals with pine 

 slabs or the debris of crates and boxes 

 from divers sources. However, any 

 kind of glow is better than no fire when 

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