n to seek is the training of God's children for their eternal home, by guiding them to intelligence, virtue, and true happiness. When, therefore, the wise woman seeks a home in which to exercis

instituted than that which ordinarily prevails among those classes which take the lead in forming the customs of society. The aim will be to exhibit modes of economizing l

lthough the general principles of house-building and house-keeping are of necessity universal in their application-as true in the busy confines of the city as in the freer and purer quietude of the country. So far as circumstances can be made to yield the opportunity, it will be assumed that the family state demands some outdoor labor for all. The cultivation of flowers to ornament the table and house, of fruits and vegetables for food, of silk and cotton for clothing, and the care of horse, cow, and dairy, can be so divided that each and

economical houses can be made to secure most of the comforts and many of the refinements of large and expensive ones. The cottage at the head of this c

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front and back projections. Its inside height from floor to ceiling is ten feet. The piazzas each side of the front projection have sliding-

s arrangement. With this aim, the ground-floor and its furniture will first be shown, then the second story and its furniture, and then the basement an

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is for statuettes, busts, or flowers. The stairs turn twice with broad steps, making a recess at the lower landing, whore a table is set with a vase of flowers, (Fig. 3.) On one side of the recess is a

room. One side of the screen fronts what may be used as the parlor or sitting-room; the other side is arranged for bedroom conveniences. Of this, Fig. 4 shows the front side;-covered first with strong canvas, stretched and nailed on. Over this is pasted panel-paper

. 4. CLOSET, RECES

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xes, which are cheaper and better than drawers, and much preferred by those using them. Handles are cut in the front and back side, as seen in Fig. 6. Half an inch space m

Panel

he front sides, on which light frame doors are to be hung, covered with canvas and panel-paper like the front of the screen. The inside of these doors is furnished with hooks for clothing, for which the projection makes room. The whole screen is to be eighteen inches deep at the

curtain should be in three parts, with lead or large nails in the hems to keep it in place. Th

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es wide, and three inches in thickness. At the head, and at the foot, is to be screwed a notched two-inch board, three inches wide, as in Fig. 8. The mortises are to be one inch wide and deep, and one inch apart, to revive slats made of ash, oak, or spruce, one inch square, placed lengthwise of the couch. T

high, including castors; frame, six feet two inches long, two feet four inches

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nd fastened together with buttons, as in Fig. 9; to be filled with oat straw, which

ouch put beneath it. The coverlid should match the curtain of the

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quare, with side pieces; stuffed with hair, and stitched through like a mattress. Side handles are made by cords fastened inside with knots. The box must be two inches larger at the bottom than at t

ts to two bureaus, two large trunks, one large wardrobe, and a wash-stand, for less than $20-the mere cost of materials. The screen and couches can be so arranged as to have one room serve first as a large and airy sleeping-room; then, in the morning, it may be used as sitting-room one side of the screen, and breakfast-room the other; and

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m. The chimney and stove-room are contrived to ventilate

room must be lined with shelves; those on the side by the cellar stairs, to be one foot wide, and eighteen inches apart; on the other side,

rticles used in house work, and yet much spare room will be left. The cook's galley in a steamship has every article and utensil used in cookin

utensils, the sink, and the eating-room, are at such distances apart, that half the time a

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er circulation of air in warm weather, by having one open at top and the other at

servoir in the garret, which supplies the water-closet and bath-room. On the other side of the sink is the dish-drainer, with a ledge on the edge next the sink, to hold the dishes, and grooves cut to let the water drain into the sink. It has hinges, so that it can either rest on the cook-form or be turned over and cover the sink. Under the sink are shelf-box

ities. Beside them is the tin molasses-can with a tight, movable cover, and a cork in the spout. This is much better than a jug for molasses, and also for vinegar and oil, being easier to clean and to handle. Other arti

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rays, made of pasteboard, covered with varnished fancy papers and divided by wires, (as shown in Fig. 15,) save many

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long and three inches deep, it

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floor, thus excluding all the roof. In the bed-chambers, corner dressing-tables, as Fig. 18, instead of projecting bureaus, save much space for use, and give a handsome form and finish to the room. In the bath-room must be the openi

, opening upon the balcony. A roof can be put over the balcony and its sides

m the most disagreeable house-labor. A great improvement, called earth-closets, will probably take the place of water-closets to some extent; though at present

chambers, and also the cellar, wil

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that can be fastened to the s

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d drawers. India-rubber or elastic tape drawn into hems to hold the contents of the bag is better than tape-strings. Each bag should be labeled with the name of its contents, written with indelible ink on white tape

on: Fig. 21

, or, what is better, an ice-closet can be made, as designated in the illustration. The floor of the basement must be an inclined plane toward a drain, and be plastered with water-lime. The wash-tubs have plugs in

s or clothes-frames are made to draw out to receive wet clothes, and then run into the closet to dr

e oiled chestnut, butternut, white-wood, and pine. This is che

through the winter months, can be starting seeds and plants for their gardens find raising valuable, tender plants. Every child should culti

ay, such a house can be built for $1600. For those practicing the closest economy, two small families could occupy it, by dividing the kit

d, on a few acres, would secure all the substantial comforts found in

f the house, garden, and fruit culture; such thrift, health, and

rtile soil is easily worked, where rich tropical fruits and flowers abound, where cotton and silk can be raised by children around their home, where the produce of vineyards and orchards finds steady markets by railroads ready made; suppose such a colony, with a central church and school-room, library, hall for sports, and a common laundry, (taking the most trying part of domestic labor from each house,)-suppose each family to train the c