Rudder Grange.

' AVell , no , " answered the doctor , " I don ' t think you could expect that , " " But Ave can ' t live on the bare floor , " said Euphemia ; " our house must be furnished . "

" Well , then , I suppose this won ' t do , ' said the doctor , ruefully , " for there isn ' t so much as a boot-jack in it . It has most things that are necessary for a boat , but it hasn ' t anything that you could call housefurniture ; but , Jdear me , I should think you

could furnish it very cheaply and comfortably out of your book . " "Very true , " said Euphemia , "if Ave could pick out the cheapest things and then get some folks to buy a lot of the books . " " We could begin with very little" said

, I , trying hard to keep calm . " Certainly , " said the doctor , " you need make no more rooms , at first , than you could furnish . "

" Then there are no rooms , " said Euphemia . " No , there is nothing but one vast apartment extending from stem to stem . " " Won ' t it be glorious ! " said Euphemia to me " We can first make a kitchen , and then

a dining-room , and a bedroom , and then a parlour—just in the order in Avhich our book says they ought to be furnished . " " Glorious ! " I cried , no longer able w contain my enthusiasm ; "I should think so . Doctor , where is this canal boat ? " The doctor then Avent into a detailed statement .

Ihe boat Avas stranded on the shore of the Scoldsbury river not far below Ginx ' s . We knew where Ginx ' s Avas , because Ave had spent a very happy day there , during our honeymoon . The boat was a good one , but superannuated

. That , however , did not interfere with its usefulness as a dAvelling . AVe could get it—the doctor had seen the owner—for a small sum per annum , and there Avas positivel y no end to its capabilities . We sat up until twenty minutes past two

, talking about that house . AVe ceased to call it a boat at about a quarter to eleven . The next day 1 "took" that boat and paid a month ' s rent in advance . Three days afterward Ave moved into it . We had not much to movewhich was a

, comfort , looking at it from one point of view . A carpenter had put up two partitions in it which made three rooms—a kitchen , a dining-room and a very long

bedroom , Avhich was to be cut up into a parlour , study , spare-room , etc ., as soon as circumstances should allow , or my salary should be raised . Orig inally , all the doors aud windoAvsAvere in the roof , so to speak , but our landlord allowed us to make as many windows to the side of the boat as we pleased ,

provided we gave him the AVOOC ! we cut out . It saA'ed him trouble , he said , but I did not understand him at the time . Accordingly , the carpenter made several AVIUCIOAVS for us , and put in sashes , AA'hich opened on hinges like the hasp of a trunk . Our

furniture did not amount to much , at first . The very thought of living in this independent , romantic Avay was so delightful , Euphemia said , that furniture seemed a mere secondary matter . AVe Avere obliged indeed to give up the

idea of folloAving the plan detailed in our book , because we hadn ' t the sum upon Avhich the furnishing of a small house Avas therein based . " And if Avehaven ' tthe money , " remarked Euphemia , " it Avould be of no earthly use to look at the book . It Avould only make us doubt our own calculations . You might as Avell try to make bricks without mortar ,

as the children of Israel did . " " I could do that myself , my dear , " said I , "but Ave Avon ' t discuss that subject now . We Avill buy just Avhat Ave absolutely need , and then Avorkup from that . " Acting on this plan , Ave bought first a

small stove , because Euphemia said that we could sleep on the floor , if it Avere necessary but Ave could ' nt make a fire on the floorat least not often . Then we got a table and tAvo chairs . The next thing Ave purchased Avas some hanging shelves for our books ,

and Euphemia suddenly remembered the kitchen things . These , which Avere few , Avith some crockery , nearly brought us to the end of our resources , but Ave had enough for a big easy-chair Avhich Euphemia was determined I should havebecause I really

, needed it Avhen I came home at night tired Avith m 3 ' long day's Avork at the office . I had ahvays been used to an easy-chair , and it Avas one of her most delightful dreams to see me in a real nice one , _ comfortably smoking my cigar in my own houseafter

, eating my OAvn delicious little supper in company Avith my OAvn dear Avife . We selected the chair , and then Ave Avere about to order the things sent out to our future home , Avhen I happened to think that we