When the room had been used as a Sabbath Day meeting-house, there was
neither chimney nor fireplace, because Elder Brewster believed that too
much bodily comfort would distract our thoughts from the duty we owed
the Lord. But when the place had been turned into a schoolroom, it was
necessary to have warmth, if for no other reason than that the smaller
children might not be frost-bitten.
John Billington was hired to build a fireplace and chimney, and, as
all in Plymouth know, he dislikes to work even as does his son James.
Therefore it was that he failed to make the chimney of such height
above the top of the fort as would admit of a fair draught, so Master
Lyford declared, and we were sorely troubled with smoke until the fire
had gained good headway.
It was the duty of the boys to provide wood and keep the fire burning;
while we girls kept the room swept and cleanly, all of which tended to
give us a greater interest in the school.