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London, Jack, 1876-1916

"Revolution, and Other Essays"

It is only recently that we
have begun to live in houses. The change is a hardship, especially
on the lungs. I've got only one pair of lungs, and I haven't the
address of any repair-shop. Wherefore I stick by the open air as
much as possible. For this reason my house will have large verandas,
and, near to the kitchen, there will be a veranda dining-room. Also,
there will be a veranda fireplace, where we can breathe fresh air and
be comfortable when the evenings are touched with frost.
I have a plan for my own bedroom. I spend long hours in bed,
reading, studying, and working. I have tried sleeping in the open,
but the lamp attracts all the creeping, crawling, butting, flying,
fluttering things to the pages of my book, into my ears and blankets,
and down the back of my neck. So my bedroom shall be indoors.
But it will be, not be of, indoors. Three sides of it will be open.
The fourth side will divide it from the rest of the house. The three
sides will be screened against the creeping, fluttering things, but
not against the good fresh air and all the breezes that blow.


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