generally
one-roomed; later, other rooms like units were gathered around it, and
the result in some cases was the appearance of a lean-to. Later on came
the ell, and, to save steps, chambers were designed on the lower floor,
leading off the main rooms of the houses. Naturally in houses of this
kind the largest room was the kitchen, for this was the
family-living-room, more especially during the cold weather.

We will find as we examine an old farmhouse that the dominant portion of
the building was the first floor, and that the chambers were adapted to
the lower-story plan. These were not always satisfactory, as little or
no care was given to the arrangement of the rooms, and in many houses
closets were little considered. The partitions between these rooms were
not double, like those found to-day, but were made of matched board and
accommodated themselves to the framework. Later on plastering came into
vogue and this made the rooms warmer and much more habitable.

The windows were generally spaced carefully and were in harmony with the
front door, making an attractive exterior. The walls were of wood, often
with a layer of brick to keep out the cold and also to form a better
protection. The roofs, more especially in the early houses, were very
steep, since they were planned for thatching; later on, when shingles
came into use, they grew lower and wider. It was not until 1700 that the
gambrel roof came into style. In considering the evolution of the house
we must look backward, and thus we come to realize the progression of
architecture. We then discover that every old house shows interesting
features, and it is the house with a history that makes its greatest
appeal to the antiquarian; while the revival of Colonial architecture
brings a renewed interest in the history of that period.

There is no more attractive remodeled farmhouse than that of Mr. Roland
C. Lincoln, which is a charming, rambling, summer home situated on the
Gloucester road half way between Manchester-by-the-Sea and Magnolia. It
is a low, yellow cottage, picturesquely placed against a background of
trees and nestled on the side of a hill seemingly as if it had been
there for centuries. At the front is the ocean, while surrounding it is
well-placed shrubbery and artistically trained vines.

[Illustration: The House from the Driveway]

The grounds are just at the left of the main road and separated from it
by a low stone wall; the entrance is by a driv