MR. URBAN AND A COUNTRY HOUSE 



scattered woods, its obtruding cliff — in short, 

 a sufficiently varied surface to admit of a cer- 

 tain picturesque treatment, without great in- 

 terference with economic results. For Mr. Ur- 

 ban is bent upon having his cornpatch — how- 

 ever much it may cost him ; and bent upon hav- 

 ing his trim lines of carrots, his mercers, his 

 half dozen or more of fine cattle, and his pas- 

 turage, where he may watch his Alderneys at 

 their quiet grazing, or their noontide siesta 

 under the trees. 



I give, on the next page, a drawing of his 

 farm as it appeared at the time of his taking 

 possession. 



The house. A, is reasonably sound, and well 

 situated, but small. It will admit of tem- 

 porary repairs and additions, which he deter- 

 mines upon forthwith. The barn, B, is wholly 

 unfit for his plans, being small, ill-placed, and 

 shaky in its joints. He consults me in regard 

 to the position for a new one, and I advise him 

 to place it in the edge of the mossy old or- 

 chard (whose trees are nearly worthless), 

 where a little rise of ground will admit of a 

 cellar underneath both barn and carriage- 

 house. I suggest also in connection with it a 

 cow-stable which shall extend westward in 

 order to furnish a protecting lee to his cattle- 



303 



