inct road directions.

These are little things. Yet houses have gone up in smoke for want of
their application. I know of one instance where a competent but
city-bred house man was sent to open a country house for the summer.
In the course of the day an oil stove in the kitchen was lighted. The
man went to get some drinking water. He returned less than five
minutes later to find a corner of the room was in flames. There was no
extinguisher at hand and his bucket of water was as nothing. There was
a telephone in the house and a fire department equipped with a
high-powered chemical machine was less than six miles away. Unhappily
the man neither knew of its existence nor how to direct it to the
place. By the time he had found help and the department had finally
been summoned, it was too late. Neighbors and firemen alike could only
look on at a magnificent bonfire, piously lamenting the loss, of
course, but getting a vicarious pleasure out of the spectacle.

As an example of foolhardiness on the part of the owner it is perhaps
beyond comment. Against it I know of another family that goes to the
other extreme. In addition to taking the fire precautions suggested
here, they have tacked a small typewritten notice on the back of the
front door. It reads:

"STOP
Is the furnace checked
Is the water heater out
Is the range turned off
Is the oil heater upstairs out"

This little evidence of fire-policing has amused many of their guests,
but their house is still standing and the fire insurance inspector
performs his annual duties in a perfunctory manner after reading it.

Unless there are glaring defects in chimney construction, electric
wiring, or furnace flues, these simple details and a reasonable amount
of old-fashioned caution will practically keep home fires in their
place. For those who wish to cut the fire hazard still further there
are more elaborate precautions that involve some rebuilding and
renovation. Whether any or all of them are advisable is a matter for
the owner and his architect to decide.

[Illustration: AN IMPOSING COUNTRY HOME OF CLASSIC DIGNITY

_Robertson Ward, architect_. _Photo by Samuel H. Gottscho_]

If a fireproof cellar is wanted, cover the ceiling with metal lath and
a good cement plaster. This should extend up the stairway, and the
cellar door should be of fire resisting construction.

Firestopping all exterior walls and interior partitions not only cuts
d