romthesameplace.Ilingeredmostaboutthefireplace,asthemostvitalpartofthehouse.Indeed,Iworkedsodeliberately,thatthoughIcommencedatthegroundinthemorning,acourseofbricksraisedafewinchesabovethefloorservedformypillowatnightyetIdidnotgetastiffneckforitthatIremembermystiffneckisofolderdate.Itookapoettoboardforafortnightaboutthosetimes,whichcausedmetobeputtoitforroom.Hebroughthisownknife,thoughIhadtwo,andweusedtoscourthembythrustingthemintotheearth.Hesharedwithmethelaborsofcooking.Iwaspleasedtoseemyworkrisingsosquareandsolidbydegrees,andreflected,that,ifitproceededslowly,itwascalculatedtoendurealongtime.Thechimneyistosomeextentanindependentstructure,standingonthegroundandrisingthroughthehousetotheheavensevenafterthehouseisburneditstillstandssometimes,anditsimportanceandindependenceareapparent.Thiswastowardtheendofsummer.ItwasnowNovember.
Thenorthwindhadalreadybeguntocoolthepond,thoughittookmanyweeksofsteadyblowingtoaccomplishit,itissodeep.WhenIbegantohaveafireatevening,beforeIplasteredmyhouse,thechimneycarriedsmokeparticularlywell,becauseofthenumerouschinksbetweentheboards.YetIpassedsomecheerfuleveningsinthatcoolandairyapartment,surroundedbytheroughbrownboardsfullofknots,andrafterswiththebarkonhighoverhead.Myhouseneverpleasedmyeyesomuchafteritwasplastered,thoughIwasobligedtoconfessthatitwasmorecomfortable.Shouldnoteveryapartmentinwhichmandwellsbeloftyenoughtocreatesomeobscurityover-head,whereflickeringshadowsmayplayateveningabouttherafters?Theseformsaremoreagreeabletothefancyandimaginationthanfrescopaintingsorotherthemostexpensivefurniture.Inowfirstbegantoinhabitmyhouse,Imaysay,whenIbegantouseitforwarmthaswellasshelter.Ihadgotacoupleofoldfire-dogstokeepthewoodfromthehearth,anditdidmegoodtoseethesootformonthebackofthechimneywhichIhadbuilt,andIpokedthefirewithmorerightandmoresatisfactionthanusual.Mydwellingwassmall,andIcouldhardlyentertainanechoinitbutitseemedlargerforbeingasingleapartmentandremotefromneighbors.Alltheattractionsofahousewereconcentratedinoneroomitwaskitchen,chamber,parlor,andkeeping-roomandwhateversatisfactionparentorchild,masterorservant,derivefromlivinginahouse,Ienjoyeditall.Catosays,themasterofafamily(patremfamilias)musthaveinhisrusticvilla“cellamoleariam,vinariam,doliamulta,utilubeatcaritatemexpectare,etrei,etvirtuti,etglori?erit,”thatis,“anoilandwinecellar,manycasks,sothatitmaybepleasanttoexpecthardtimesitwillbeforhisadvantage,andvirtue,andglory.”Ihadinmycellarafirkinofpotatoes,abouttwoquartsofpeaswiththeweevilinthem,andonmyshelfalittlerice,ajugofmolasses,andofryea