July, 1911 
minister's family to possess at least a little vacation home 
that they could call their own. It seemed unwise to build 
or buy a country home, even if one could be secured within 
the limits of the preacher’s salary, as the next call might 
take them too far from the country or the shore cottage 
to make it available for summer occupancy even during a 
short vacation. But a movable home, and better still, a 
floating home, came as an inspiration to the minister’s 
wife, who was gifted with a special fund of home-making 
ingenuity. The romping children of the family demanded a 
healthful out-door vacation, free from restrictions of board- 
ing house life in the country or at the shore; and the num- 
bers of the flock of young people comprising the ministerial 
household made it imperative to provide a vacation out- 
ing where the economies as well as the pleasures of home 
life might be continued throughout the summer. 
The expense involved in building and furnishing this 
AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 
245 
the owners. At a call from a suburban church to one in 
the city the vacation home was towed many miles down the 
river, and anchored in a picturesque nook sufficiently close 
to the new home to be within reach by trolley, and here 
the family would spend their midweek vacations through- 
out the summer, and return to the city home refreshed for 
Sunday duties. 
The question of profit from this summer home came 
about in this wise: A friend of the minister, and an 
admirer of the ingeniousness of his helpmate, decided that 
such a real home on the water would be ideal if it might 
be rented for periods of two weeks or more, for a cruise 
up the canals or down the river. The rental contract 
called for special care of the boat and its furnishings, with 
thorough repairs for any possible damage, and the replac- 
ing of any articles broken or injured among the house- 
keeping utensils. With judicious renting to personal 
There is a peculiar fascination in the unfrequented waterways 
little houseboat has been a disputed question among the 
minister’s friends—one which he has laughingly declined 
to answer, as he declares that it might seem like trifling with 
the truth, so inexpensively was the craft constructed. With 
the gift of an abandoned mud scow for the foundation, the 
personal supervision and work of the youthful minister in 
its construction, the enthusiastic co-operation of wife and 
children in providing, contriving and constructing the 
furnishings from walled-in bunks, wall - seat - storeroom 
couches and folding tables, the result was that both house- 
boat and furniture combined the perfection of usefulness 
and home-likeness with inexpensive construction. 
For several years this convenient little floating home has 
served the ministerial household with the most delightful 
vacation outings at comparatively no expense. In fact, dur- 
ing several summers it was known to provide a profit for 
friends, who would feel the responsibility of extra care of 
the floating home and all its belongings, it was found to 
be possible for one or two rentals of two weeks each, to 
pay the original cost of building and furnishing the house- 
boat, and, with brief future rentals (though reserved for 
personal use during the greater part of the summer), to 
stand entirely on the side of profit. 
It is claimed that canal houseboating is especially hard 
on the houseboat, because of its rough usage in passing 
through the numerous locks. It must be remembered that 
many of the most fascinating stretches of canal pass 
through comparatively level sections of the country, where 
lock maneuvering will not be difficult, but even in the more 
troublesome locks, the houseboat can be taken through with 
scarcely a scratch, with careful management on the part of 
those in charge of the boat—for one must not expect the 
