The front door, over which is a single sash-light across, opens into a
hall or entry 9x7 feet, from which a door opens on either side into a
sitting-room and parlor, each 16x15 feet, lighted by a double, plain
window, at the ends, and a single two-sash window in front. Between the
entrance door and stove, are in each room a small pantry or closet for
dishes, or otherwise, as may be required. The chimney stands in the
center of the house, with a separate flue for each front room, into
which a thimble is inserted to receive the stovepipes by which they are
warmed; and from the inner side of these rooms each has a door passing
to the kitchen, or chief living room. This last apartment is 22x15 feet,
with a broad fireplace containing a crane, hooks, and trammel, if
required, and a spacious family oven--affording those homely and
primitive comforts still so dear to many of us who are not ready to
concede that all the virtues of the present day are combined in a
"perfection" cooking stove, and a "patent" heater; although there is a
chance for these last, if they should be adopted into the peaceful
atmosphere of this kitchen.
[Illustration: CHAMBER PLAN.]
On one side of the kitchen, in rear of the stairs, is a bedroom, 9x8
feet, with a window in one corner. Adjoining that, is a buttery,
dairy-room, or closet, 9x6 feet, also having a window. At the inner end
of the stairway is the cellar passage; at the outer end is the chamber
passage, landing above, in the highest part of the roof story. Opposite
the chamber stairs is a door leading to the wash-room. Between the two
windows, on the rear side of the kitchen, is a sink, with a waste pipe
passing out through the wall. At the further corner a door opens into a
snug bedroom 9x8 feet, lighted by a window in rear; and adjoining this
is a side entry leading from the end door, 9x6 feet in area; thus making
every room in the house accessible at once from the kitchen, and giving
the greatest possible convenience in both living and house-work.
The roof story is partitioned into convenient-sized bedrooms; the
ceiling running down the pitch of the roof to within two feet of the
floor, unless they are cut short by inner partitions, as they are in the
largest chamber, to give closets. The open area in the center, at the
head of the stairs, is lighted by a small gable window inserted in the
roof, at the rear, and serves as a lumber room; or, if necessary, a bed
may occupy a part of it.
In rear of the main dwelling is a building 44x16 feet, occupied as a
wash-room and wood-house. The wash-room floor is let down eight inches
below the kitchen, and is 16x14 feet, in area, lighted by a window on
each side, with a chimney, in which is set a boiler, and fireplace, if
desired, and a sink in the corner adjoining. This room is 7-1/2 feet in
height. A door passes from this wash-room into the wood-house, which is
30x16 feet, open in front, with a water-closet in the further corner.
The cellar is 7-1/2 feet in height--and is the whole size of the house,
laid with good stone wall, in lime mortar, with a flight of steps
leading outside, in rear of the kitchen, and two or more sash-light
windows at the ends. If not in a loose, gravelly, or sandy soil, the
cellar should be kept dry by a drain leading out on to lower ground.
The building beyond, and adjoining the wood-house, contains a
swill-house 16x12 feet, with a window in one end; a chimney and boiler
in one corner, with storage for swill barrels, grain, meal, potatoes,
&c., for feeding the pigs, which are in the adjoining pen of same size,
with feeding trough, place for sleeping, &c., and having a window in one
end and a door in the rear, leading to a yard.
Adjoining these, in front, is a workshop and tool-house, 16x10 feet,
with a window at the end, and an entrance door near the wood house. In
this is a joiner's work-bench, a chest of working tools, such as saw,
hammer, augers, &c., &c., necessary for repairing implements, doing
little rough jobs, or other wood work, &c., which every farmer ought to
do for himself; and also storing his hoes, axes, shovels, hammers, and
other small farm implements. In this room he will find abundant
rainy-day employment in repairing his utensils of various kinds, making
his beehives, hencoops, &c., &c. Next to this is the wagon-house, 16x14
feet, with broad doors at the end, and harness pegs around the walls.
The posts of this building are 10 feet high; the rooms eight feet high,
and a low chamber overhead for storing lumber, grain, and other
articles, as may be required. Altogether, these several apartments make
a very complete and desirable accommodation to a man with the property
and occupation for which it is intended.
On one side and adjoining the house, should be the garden, the
clothes-yard, and the bee-house, which last should always stand in full
sight, and facing the most frequented room--say the kitchen--that they
can be seen daily during the swarming season, as those performing
household duties may keep them in view.