THROUGH LIBRARY WINDOWS 7 



but by day the sterner and more difficult, for so 

 the moods of day and night do differ. 



The besetting sins of this house are three, as 

 I now recall them, more books and more pic- 

 tures and more light. The first is chargeable 

 to the writer, for if I go in town and rummage 

 among books I am apt to come home with an 

 extra one or more, partially hiding them as if 

 "a guilty spendthrift; Ruth has a picture weak- 

 ness, and in some way manages to smuggle in 

 her purchases and hiding them in such places 

 that I shall first discover them and so surprise 

 her by announcing the discovery, and of course 

 say it is fine, and pave the way for an open 

 confession and a balancing of outlays and anew 

 resolving on economy. Our third sin is one 

 that we both indulge in openly and heroically, 

 more light. Eight windows in our library and 

 there is rarely any sign of shade-drawing, ex- 

 cept to accommodate some nervous visitor. 



After the tea is served and the twilight is 

 gone, we turn blazingly high the gas flame, 

 through the Welsbach incandescents. We 

 fancy our threefold sin is easily condoned and 

 we never worry over them, but always econo- 

 mize in some other ways ! 



Sweeping days are "dies irae" in very deed. 

 Ruth carefully superintends it and plans some 



