The story of a house . pe, and 1 -j. the plan to appear above the soil. Twenty ma- £ sons and stone-cutters, four carpenters, and anumber of boys gave life to this corner of the estate. Thencame carts full of bricks, sand, and lime. Two long sawscut up the trunks of trees into joists; a small movable forge,sheltered behind a copse of trees, was lighted and repairedthe tools, until it was ready to forge straps, cramps, feet,stays, and bands. A fine autumn sun spread a warm andslightly veiled light over the work-yard. This spectacleeffaced from Pauls mind the sad impressions left by hisfathers w
The story of a house . pe, and 1 -j. the plan to appear above the soil. Twenty ma- £ sons and stone-cutters, four carpenters, and anumber of boys gave life to this corner of the estate. Thencame carts full of bricks, sand, and lime. Two long sawscut up the trunks of trees into joists; a small movable forge,sheltered behind a copse of trees, was lighted and repairedthe tools, until it was ready to forge straps, cramps, feet,stays, and bands. A fine autumn sun spread a warm andslightly veiled light over the work-yard. This spectacleeffaced from Pauls mind the sad impressions left by hisfathers words. Under this aspect the work did not seemto take the severe and harsh forms which had at first some-what scared our scholar in vacation. An attentive inspec-tor, Paul followed his cousin upon the building site, andlistened to his observations with great care. Here, Papa Branchu, said the cousin, — here is a stonewhich must not be laid down; it has a flaw, and as it isgoing to serve as a lintel, I do not wish i mi SIT1 i THE VISIT TO THE WORK-YARD. 139 Eh, Monsieur Architect, the flaw does not extend veryfar. Whether it does or not, I dont wish it. Do you un-derstand ? Paul, you will see to it that this stone is notlaid. You see this little crack which is hardly apparent ;strike the two sides with this hammer. Good ! The soundwhich the stone gives on this side is dead; that shows youthat there is a solution of continuity, and that, aided bythe frost, this piece on the right will detach itself fromthe rest. Here are bricks which you must not have how they are cracked; then these white spots, — theyare bits of limestone, which the fire has converted intolime. By the action of moisture these bits of lime swelland burst the brick. You will take care, before letting thebricks be used, to have them well moistened. Those whichcontain parts of lime will fall to pieces, and will not, there-fore, be put in the work. But, good sir, said Papa Branchu, its not my fault
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectarchitecturedomestic
