Letter XLIII From John
Final and Personal
My Dear Architect: We’ve moved in. The house wasn’t done but the plastering was dry, and the paint too, what there is of it, and enough rooms were finished to hold us comfortably. Mrs. John thought we should somehow feel better acquainted if we took possession while things were in a chaotic state, before the house had a chance to put on airs, and make us feel like intruders; that it would fit us better if it wasn’t entirely hardened before we crawled into it. I told her ’t would be a great deal easier to wait till everything was cleared up and we could take a fresh start, but she couldn’t see it in that light. Said she’d known lots of folks to be completely overpowered by a new house, and she proposed to take it while it was sort of helpless, and would be under obligation to her. It’s better, too, according to her notions, to get familiar with the rooms before furnishing them, and—I’ve forgotten what other reasons, all good enough but not exactly correct, as I’ve since found out. I’d noticed some unusual and rather suggestive performances of late, but wasn’t quite prepared for a request to rent the old house the very day we moved. Matters seemed to culminate one night after the schoolmaster had received your sketches and estimates for his brick beginnings. I can’t say as to their merits architecturally, but they cleared one of the rough places in a certain course that never runs quite smooth. The dining-room and kitchen arrangements are all right, and the establishment is already begun. It will take all summer to finish it, and, meantime, Sister Jane will have an opportunity to reduce some of her fine theories to practice in our old cottage. Whether they will all stand the test remains to be seen. I only hope these two wise people won’t pin their sole chance of domestic happiness to scientific housekeeping, and if common-sense and dutiful intentions fail, as they sometimes will, that love will come to the rescue. Fred will build next year. He ’s concluded it’s better to have his work well done than done too quickly.
Yours,
JOHN.