Wood Fires

We grant, as has recently been said that au opun fire is "incompetent to hea our houses;" but we believe it oan bc made such au important factor in the culture of children that we have no hes itation in urging otlicrs to try it. In Uouses that are wholly warmed by far nace, the f amily circle is likely to beeome impairéd. The children take their friëüds to their own rooms, and the mother rarely becomes intimntcly acquainted with their associates Around a wood fire, all naturally come together; what interests one comes in a littlc while to interest all, and the chil dren learn to be open and free. The fire warms the heart as well as the body A wood fire lit early in the evening when the ehildron are home from schoo is all that is necessary. When the boys get used to coming in from the cold me snow to find a cheerful hiokoryfire blazing on the parlor hearth, with the room not too nicely fnrnishcd for them to use, they will not want to leave it for any outiid! at traetions. ïhe moment the familsar whistle is heard in the eveuing, let f ome kindling wood be tiirust under thp logs. The pjeasant sensation produced by a bhizing fire, if repcated cvery day, winter after winter, amounts to a great donl of liappiness in a boy's life-time, and will never be forgotten. It is difHcult to over-estimate the valuc of this central gathoringliluco for the whole faniily. Wood tiren are not dusty, and when used not for heat, but for chcer, and only in the eveniug, are not costly. Tho moderate lieat of a furnace or stove is sufficient for the parlor by dny, :ind but littlc wood in the fire-place is neeessary to itfakfe it coinfortable at night. Indeed, the register ofton has to be tvirned off, and the doors have. to be closed to keep the heat of the house from rushing into the parlor. The wooil fire ventilates, ind thus. not only aro tho feet kopt warm, b;it the head remains cool. Half i cord of hickory wood lasts us about n month. and we use it on Sundavs after churcl), and ou otlior days if we Lhve friends to ilinncr, or the children are to be at home. In spring and fnll an opon tireplace is particularly usrful. Bveij one kuows how the furnace is disliked in moderate weatlier, bat ly tising at snch timrR thr wood alone the desired lieai is obtainod and far more than the coHt sayed in the coa] íhat wöuld be burnod Ui wastt1. If the iirc-place is paiutod black there will be a good baekgronnd tor tho red fiaiue, and the brickwork will not be made to look shubby by the smoke. Let it be a gopd hearty, blazing fire or none at all. Better to savo iu fine furniture or in rich desserts than put on loga sparingly. Brass andirous are the best, for they never wear put, and the labor in keeping them briglit is nrnch exaggerated. The woocl shonld be sawed in bnt two pieees, so as to reach cloar over both andirons. A lot of corn-oo1)8 will mako a hot, quiek blazo, jnst before the children go up to bed, and will make their slumber all the sweeter. - Scribner for October.