burdened with debt or an
uneasy conscience. There is another thing to be remembered: We hear
loud lamentations over the dearth of skillful, trusty laborers. There
is no way of promoting intelligent, productive industry--which is
the basis of all prosperity--but by employing artisans in such a way
that the personal skill and fidelity of each one shall have their
legitimate reward. The contract system, as usually practiced, acts in
precisely an opposite direction. Your house must be built 'by the day'
Jill, or I shall recall my gift." _That_ question was settled. The
good and wise man had previously decided as peremptorily an early
query relating to the plans. When it was known that a new house was to
be built, several architects, with more conceit than self-respect,
proposed to offer plans "in open competition"--not to be paid for
unless accepted--concerning which Jill had asked her father's advice.

[Illustration: THE HOUSE THAT JILL BUILT.]

"What should you think of a physician," said he, "who, on hearing that
you were ill, should hasten to present himself with a prescription and
a bottle of medicine, begging you to read the one, test the other, and,
if they made a favorable impression, give him the job of curing you?
There are such who call themselves physicians; other people call them
quacks, and there is one place for their gratuitous offerings--the
fire. I shall burn any plans that are presented in this way. Choose
your architect at the outset, and give him all possible aid in carrying
out your wishes, but do not employ one of those who must charge a
double price for their actual work in order to work for nothing half
the time. In any other business such a practice would be condemned at
once."

"Isn't it the same thing as offering samples of goods?"

"No, it is offering the goods themselves--the top of the barrel at
that."

Of course this did not apply to the contributions that were prompted by
personal friendship, of which Jill, as we have seen, received her full
share, none of them, excepting the one-story plan, proving in the least
tempting.

As the race of competent, industrious mechanics is not yet extinct,
whatever the croakers may say such were found to build the house, which
was well closed in before winter. The walls and roof were completed and
the plastering dried while the windows could be left open without
danger of freezing, a most important thing, because although mortar may
be kept from free