Rudder Grange

emia said that she never felt at home except when she was out, which feeling, indicating such an excessively unphilosophic state of mind, w

This is a comparatively cheap way. A third method is to apply to an agent. But none of these plans are worth anything. The proper way is to know some

e rent was named would do at all.) And when I went to see the owners, or agents of these suitable houses, they asked much higher rents than those mentioned in the unavailable answers-and this, n

uch it would cost them. We knew all about it, for we had asked several people. Now the prices demanded as yearly rental for small furnished house

ents we had a little better fortune. Euphemia sometimes went with me on my expeditions to real estate offices, and she remarked that these offices were always in the basement, or else you had to go up

ery far from the railroad station or steamboat landing. We also wanted the house to be nicely sh

might as well get a house to suit us while we ar

owever, did not think that this would present any obstacle to our taking it. He was sure that the owner would furnish it if we paid him ten per cent, on the value of the furniture he put into it. We agreed that if the landlord would do this and let us furni

lf and talked

uy all these things, and rent them out to you. If you only wanted heavy furniture, which would last for years, the plan would answer

rpets, but these little conveniences are the things that make housekeepi

if I buy that ice-pick and rent it to you at two and a-half cents a year, I shall not get my money back unless it lasts you ten years. And even then, as it is not probable that I can sell that ice-pick after you have us

at furnished house. Euphemi

our book and have ordered all these things at the stores, one

t things. She did not mean to mislead, and her plan certainly made our book attractive. But it did not work very well in practice. W

own at very low prices, because the model house we speak of

s explanation, the l

have taken an unfurnished one and furnished it ourselves, but we had not mon

river-side, that it would have been almost as impossible to move it as to have turned the Sphinx around. This boat we soon found was inhabited by an oyster-man and his family. They had lived there for many years and were really doing quite well. The boat was divided, inside, into rooms, and these were papered and painted and nicely furnished. There was a kitchen, a living-room, a parlor and bedrooms. There were all sorts of convenience

ttle table under a tree near by,-I believe that she picked out the very largest oysters she had, to stew for us. When we had finished our supper and had paid for it, and were g

have a ca

werved from tha

iving, and it would really be housekeeping. I grew more and more in favor of it. After what the oyster-man had done, what might not we do? HE h

al-boat. There were none advertised for re

project and our friends became greatly interested in it, and, of course, too, they gave us a great deal of advice, but we didn't mind that. We were philosophical

it withers away rapidly, which is a comfort. One evening we were sitting, rather disconsolately, in our room, and I was reading out the advertisements of country board in a newspape

aid he, "I have found just

-boat?"

d he, "a c

ed Euphemia, her

e doctor, "I don't thin

re floor," said Euphemia; "o

in it. It has most things that are necessary for a boat, but it hasn't anything that you could call house-

pick out the cheapest things and then g

ery little," said I, t

you need make no more rooms, at

re no rooms,"

one vast apartment exten

itchen, and then a dining-room, and a bedroom, and then a parlor-ju

contain my enthusiasm; "I should thin

the shore of the Scoldsbury river not far below Ginx's. We knew where Gin

ith its usefulness as a dwelling. We could get it-the doctor had seen the owne

talking about that house. We ceased to ca

paid a month's rent in advance. Thr

y salary should be raised. Originally, all the doors and windows were in the roof, so to speak, but our landlord allowed us to make as many windows to the side of the boat as we pleased, provided we gave him the wood we cut out. It saved him trouble, he said, but I did not understand him at the time. Accor

e plan detailed in our book, because we hadn't the sum upo

se to look at the book. It would only make us doubt our own calculations. You

won't discuss that subject now. We will buy just wh

These, which were few, with some crockery, nearly brought us to the end of our resources, but we had enough for a big easy-chair which Euphemia was determined I should have, because I really needed it when I came home at night, tired with my long day's work at the office. I had always been used to an easy-chair, and it was one of her most delig

thunde

," she said. "We shall h

e can't do that. We must

she. "The house would seem like

I, "at least for a while. I can sit out o

arks and I can sit by you. That will do very w

ing. The bedstead was what is sometimes called a "scissors-bed." We could sh

nd left the boarding-house Eup

p was just wildly delirious. The air was charming. The sun was bright, and I had a whole holiday. When we reached Ginx's we found that the best way to get our t

oat, and had alighted

ut our trunks i

and then looked at the boat

't goin' anywh

Euphemia. "We shouldn't wan

to live in it

said Eu

he took our trunks on bo

eck of the boat at an angle of forty-five degrees, and when the man had staggered up this plank with the trunks (Euphemia said I ought to have helped him, but I really thought that it would be better for one person

it necessary to go one at a time. We wandered over the whole extent of our mansion and found that our carpenter had done his work better than the woman whom we had engaged to scrub and c

us. We felt sure that we

hem over from the steamboat landing had the brightest, merriest faces I ever noticed among that class of people. Euph

surprised at the absence of a chimney, but I assured her that boats were very seldom built with chimneys. My dear little wife bustled about and arranged the pots and kettles

ouse was in order. Then w

"we ought to have thought

we had better walk up to Ginx's and get our supp

o this first meal with the greatest delight. You can go up to the little store by the hotel and buy some things and I will

erved for moving and kindred expenses, and which had been sorely depleted dur

had left, and Euphemia cooked the supper, and we ate it fro

t delightful m

urpose, while we were at supper) and then we went on deck, or on the piazza, as Euphemia thought we had better call it, and ther

ank (just like a delightful old draw-bridge, Euphemia said, although I hope for t

d to go to bed early, for we had fo

carried them home for Euphemia's use through the day. Then I hurried off to catch the train, for, as there was a station near Ginx's, I ceased to patronize the steamboat, the hours of which were not convenient. After a day of work and pleasurable anticipation at the office, I hastened back to my home, generally laden with a basket of provisions and various household necessit

had given up cigars, as being too expensive and inappropriate, and had taken to a tall p

ct an appropriate title. I proposed a number of appellations intended to suggest the character of our home. Among these were: "Safe Ashore," "Firmly Grounded," and some other name

rrace," did not suit her because it suggested convic

k and cogitation, we named

enormous rudder that the justice of that part of the title see

onventional dwelling. We put matting on the floors and cheap but very pretty paper on the walls. We added now a couple of chairs, and now a table or something for the kitchen. Frequently, espec

re very happy. And thu