HOW THE HOUSE WAS BUILT 13 



or two. The large table is where needlework is cut out 

 and arranged. I chose a room for my own bedroom 

 near the further end of the gallery in order that I 

 might the oftener enjoy a walk down its length, and 

 every morning as I come out of my room, hungry for 

 breakfast and ready for the day's work, I feel thankful 

 that my home has on its upper floor so roomy and 

 pleasant a highway. 



The building of the house was done in the happiest 

 way possible, a perfect understanding existing between 

 the architect, the builder, and the proprietor. Such 

 a concourse of salutary conditions is, I fear, rare in 

 house-building. It often happens that conflicting 

 interests are at war with one another ; indeed it seems 

 to be usually supposed that the builder and the archi- 

 tect are in some degree antagonistic. Hence it arises 

 that in buildings of any importance the architect has 

 to post an expensive clerk of the works on the job, to 

 see that the builder does not cheat the proprietor. 



But where all three are reasonable and honest 

 folk, at one in their desire of doing a piece of good 

 work, this extra source of expense is not needed, and 

 the whole thing, instead of being a cause of waste and 

 worry and anxiety during its making, and possibly a 

 disappointment when completed, is like an interesting 

 game of serious and absorbing interest, every move 

 having some distinct bearing on the one to follow ; 

 every operation being performed in its due sequence to 

 the gradual building up of the completed structure. 



