BUILDING THE HOUSE 63 



bination of artistic features, and a house that after 

 you had constructed it as your home, would be exactly 

 as appropriate on your neighbor's lot as your own. 

 Understand that this house of yours is to fit your con- 

 ditions and to do it exactly. Beware of " ginger- 

 bread work," as it is aptly called those fanciful 

 adornments that make lots of trouble as well as cost, 

 are easily broken, and soon get to be a veritable nui- 

 sance. 



I know one house in the country that is painted in 

 checks, like a Highlander's plaid, because there is 

 something of the sort in a neighboring city. Down 

 our valley stands an octagon house, possibly eco- 

 nomical of room, but out in Nature it is an oddity. 

 I do not think that Nature ever built an octagon any- 

 where. Neither man nor house should be so conspic- 

 uously peculiar as to defy Nature and stand 

 around like sheared evergreens, or hedges that are 

 trimmed box style, with crowing cocks on top. 



In the country we seldom need to climb very high 

 into the air. Two stories are enough for a house, 

 but learn to abominate half stories with their hot 

 attics. If a magnificent landscape is to be com- 

 manded, of course a three-story house is to be tol- 

 erated at any rate get at your property that lies 

 in the distance. The first floor, however, is where 

 we should live ; with stairs as few as possible. There 

 is land enough in the country, and we should broaden 

 out at the bottom. 



Of course, this general rule must be modified where 



