n one corner, with real antique andirons and
the quaintest old Dutch tiles. They never make a fire in it;
couldn't if they wanted to--it smokes so. But it is _so_ lovely
and gives the hall such a sweet expression. You _will_ forgive
me, won't you, Jill, dear? but you know you are _so_ practical,
and I _do_ hope you won't forget the esthetic needs of home
life. Your loving cousin, BET."

"Let's give up the hall fireplace," said Jack.

[Illustration: HEAT FROM ALL SIDES.]

"By no means; our hall is large and needs a fireplace--one that will
not smoke and will warm not only the hall in very cold weather, but the
whole house when it isn't quite cold enough for steam. The sides and
back will be of iron with an air-chamber behind them, into which fresh
air will be brought from out of doors and come out well warmed at the
sides." (Jill's idea was something like the above figure for the plan.)

"It will be a capital ventilator, too, for the centre of the house.
There will be a damper in the hearth to let the ashes down into the
ash-pit. I suppose a stove would answer, but this will be better
because it won't have to be blacked, and it will last as long as the
house."

"How will it look standing out there all alone by itself?"

"Haven't I told you, my dear, that whatever _is_ well looks well?"

"Yes, but it takes a mighty faith to believe it, and I'm not even a
mustard-seed. What is the little room in the southwest corner for?"

"That is the library, and for an ordinary family it is large enough. It
is twelve feet by fourteen. It will hold three or four thousand books,
a table, a writing-desk, a lounge and three or four easy chairs. More
room would spoil the privacy which belongs to a library and make it a
sort of common sitting-room. Moreover, by drawing aside the portieres
and opening the doors we can make it a part of the large room when we
wish to; and, on the other hand, when they are closed and the bay
window curtains drawn, instead of one large room we shall have three
separate apartments for three solitary misanthropes, for three
_tete-a-tetes_, or for three incompatible groups, not counting the
hall--no, nor the stair-landing, which will be a capital place for a
quiet--"

"Flirtation."

At this point they were interrupted by a telegram from Aunt Melville,
begging them not to begin on George's plan, as she had found something
much more satisfactory.