y be colored
dark or red, marking the joints, or inserting a belt of different
color. Horizontal bands of brick laid in fancy pattern may be
convenient and effective.

Of course you will not adopt this style of wall unless there is a crop
of suitable stones within easy distance. It is more probable that you
will be afraid to use what you have than that there are none to use.
Whatever can be made into a stone fence will make the walls of a
house, if you are not too ambitious of height, and do not attempt to
make them too thin. Other things being equal, the thicker the walls,
within certain limits, the better. You don't care to build a Bastile,
but deep window-jambs without and within add wonderful richness and
dignity. If the walls cost little or no more, as is often the case,
it is a pity to refuse the additional ground required for their extra
thickness. Such walls should not be monopolized by hundred-thousand-dollar
churches and fancy summer residences. They are quite suitable for the
simplest, most unpretending country homes.

[Illustration: STONE BODY WITH BRICK MEMBERS.]

You will understand the general idea thus far by the accompanying
sketches, with which I must close this letter, without concluding the
subject.

LETTER VIII.

From John.

THERE IS A SOFT SIDE EVEN TO A STONE WALL.

MY DEAR ARCHITECT: I'm slowly digesting your last production; not
being an ostrich, it goes rather hard. For all that, it may be worth
thinking of. Perhaps I shall be converted by the time the subject is
fully shown up. I suppose we've always looked upon these loose rocks
and stones sprinkled about the country as a part of the original
curse, and have never thought of turning them to any sensible use,
though good old Dr. Hopkins seemed to have faith that their soft side
would some time be discovered. Funny, isn't it, that we should burn
so much fuel and spend so much labor making bricks and other
artificial building-blocks, when there are piles of them ready made,
that would only cost the hauling? Not always on the square, to be
sure, although in some places the ground is full and running over with
flat stones that can be laid up as easily as shingles. They would
hardly need any mortar, and the brick trimmings you describe would be
a nuisance, except for looks. Miles and miles of stone-walls you will
see, up and down hillsides and across pastures that don't look worth
their taxes. Once in a while the lower half of a c