“If you were not my own idolized wife, I should say that was ’pure cussedness.’”

[Illustration:  MOULDINGS FAIR TO SEE, BUT HARD TO KEEP CLEAN.]

“On the contrary, it is high moral principle; that is, moral principle applied to art.  It is a simple, outright impossibility for human beings to have any true perception of art while a shadow of a thought of fashion remains.  It is, indeed, possible that fashion may, for a moment, follow the straight and narrow road that leads to artistic excellence, as the fitful breath of a cyclone may, at a certain point in its giddy whirl, run parallel with the ceaseless sweep of the mighty trade-winds, but whoever tries to keep constantly in its track is sure to be hopelessly astray.”

“My dear, indignant, despiser of fashion, you know you wouldn’t wear a two-year-old bonnet to church, on a pleasant Sunday morning, for the price of a pew in the broad aisle.”

“Certainly not; that would be both mercenary and irreverent; moreover, my bonnet has nothing to do with artistic rules.  It is not a work of art or of science, of nature or of grace.  It is a conventional signal by which I announce a friendly disposition toward the follies of my fellow-creatures—­a sort of flag of truce, a badge of my conformity in little things.  I wear it voluntarily and could lay it aside if I chose.”

“Undoubtedly, if you chose.  Now, let us resume the original discussion.  I had given one powerful argument in favor of paint when I was rashly interrupted:  here is another—­it is much cheaper.”

“That would depend,” said Jill.  “Ash, butternut, cherry and various other woods cost little, if any more, than the best pine, and the pine itself is very pretty for chambers.”

“Ah, but you forget the labor question.  It is one thing to join two pieces of wood so closely as to leave no visible crack between them, and quite another to bring them into the same neighborhood, fill the chasm with putty and hide the whole under a coat of paint.  The difference between these two kinds of joints is the difference between one stroke and two, between one day’s work and five days, between one thousand dollars and five thousand.  My third argument you will surely appreciate.  Paint is more artistic.”  Here Jack paused to give his words effect; then proceeded like one walking on stilts.  “Pure tones symphoniously gradated from contralto shadows to the tender brightness of the upper registers and harmoniously blended with the prevailing quality—­”

[Illustration:  FRAGMENTS OF ARCHITRAVES.]

“Oh, Jack! Don’t go any farther, you are already beyond your depth.  When you attempt to quote Bessie’s sentiments you should have her letter before you.  Perhaps I have a dim perception of the principle that underlies your thirdly.  If so, this room is a pertinent illustration of it.  Instead of all this white paint, if the wood work had been colored to match the predominant tint in the