ear. Building a house for a home is a healthful experience, a
liberal education to one who can give personal attention to it; who has
some knowledge of plans with enough imagination to have a fair
conception of what they will be when executed; who is content to
receive a reasonable return for a given outlay, not anxious to get the
best end of every bargain, nor over-fearful of being cheated; who cares
more for home comfort than for a fine display, and whose soul is never
vexed by the comments of Mrs. Grundy, nor tormented by the decrees of
fashion.

The question was raised, whether the house should be built by contract
or by "day's work." The worldly-wise friends advised the former.
Otherwise they affirmed the cost of the house would exceed the
appropriation by fifty, if not a hundred, per cent., since it would be
for the interest of both architect and builders to make the house as
costly and the job as long as possible. And, while it was doubtless
true that "day work" is likely to be better than "job work," still, if
the plans and specifications were clearly drawn and the contract made
as strong as the pains and penalties of the law could make it, the
contractor might be compelled to keep his agreement and furnish
"first-class" work.

Jill's father settled this point at once. "It is true," said he, "that
the plans and specifications should be clearly drawn, that you may see
the end from the beginning, and it will be well to carefully estimate
the cost, lest, having begun to build, you should be unable to finish.
But I am neither willing to hold any man to an agreement, however
legal it may be, that requires him to give me more than I have paid
for, nor, on the other hand, do I wish to pay him more than a fair
value for his work and material. You cannot avoid doing one of these
two things in contracting such work as your house, for it is
impossible to estimate its cost with perfect accuracy, and no
specifications, however binding, can draw a well-defined line between
'first' and 'second'-class work. A general contract may be the least
of a choice of evils in some cases; it is not so in yours. If you know
just what you want, the right mode of securing it is to hire honest,
competent workmen and pay them righteous wages. If, before the work is
completed, you find the cost has been underestimated, stop when your
money is spent. It may be mortifying and inconvenient to live in an
unfinished house; it is far more so to be