stop it are the usual
adjustments.) A nice little refinement here is the installation of a
third faucet at either kitchen or pantry sink, piped direct to the
pump. Turn this and fresh water flows from the well itself, thus
consoling any sentimentalist with visions of a dripping moss-covered
bucket. Also water so drawn seldom needs to be iced. In summer if
there are signs of a thunder storm it is wise to open this same
faucet. It starts the pump and that automatically continues until the
storage tank is full. Then, if electric service is cut off by the
storm, the household will have ample water until the damage has been
repaired.

If the country home owner happens to live beyond reach of an electric
light system, he can put in his own plant, use a gasoline engine for
motive power or even a hand pump. A gasoline engine should, of course,
be located in an outbuilding and the exhaust pipe must extend into
open air because of the deadly fumes of carbon monoxide gas. The hand
pump is, of course, the simplest and there are several excellent ones
to be had. They are not as practical as they sound, however.

When we first bought our own country place we installed a very good
one as there was then no electricity in the locality. It worked
excellently--when any one could be found to man it. Handy men hired
for odd jobs around the grounds took it on for a set sum per time. The
labor turnover was unprecedented. One by one they either resigned
within a week or somehow managed to "forget all about that pumping
job." Members of the family pressed into service straightway became
ardent water savers, and guests who volunteered gallantly somehow
never, never came again. Yet it was not an exhausting or complicated
task. It was simply so monotonous that it wore down the most
phlegmatic nature. So the rural householder will do well to remember
that, after all, this is a machine age and govern himself accordingly.

As for the storage tank, the modern practice is to place it under
ground or in the cellar. The old custom of putting it in the attic had
distinct disadvantages when an overflow or a leak occurred and either
stained the ceilings or sent them crashing down on furniture and
possibly occupants of the rooms below.

The best water system, however, cannot cope with faucets thoughtlessly
left running. Even the largest tank will eventually become empty and
then there will be water for no one until the pump has replenished the
supply. "