\"Shehaslivedtotellitagreatmanytimes.Shecanhardlybekeptfromtellingityet.Butitismybeliefthat，althoughshebroughttotheworkalltheanguishofaquickenedconscience，undertheinfluenceoftheAmericanconditionsshehadreturnedto，shesufferedfarlessinherencounterswitheitherofthosefurnishedhousesthanshenowdoeswithourownfurniturewhensheshutsupourhouseinthesummer，andopensitforthewinter.Butiftherehadbeenaclauseinthelease，asthereshouldhavebeen，forbiddinghertoputthosehousesinorderwhensheleftthem，lifewouldhavebeensimplyarapture.Why，inEuropecustomalmostsuppliestheplaceofstatuteinsuchcases，andyoucomeandgosolightlyinandoutoffurnishedhousesthatyoudonotmindtakingthemforamonth，orafewweeks.Weareveryfarbehindinthismatter，butIhavenodoubtthatifweoncecametodoitonanyextendedscaleweshoulddoit，aswedoeverythingelseweattempt，moreperfectlythananyotherpeopleintheworld.YouseewhatImean？\"
\"IamnotsurethatIdo.Butgoon.\"
\"IwouldinvertthewholeHenryGeorgeprinciple，andIwouldtaxpersonalpropertyofthehouseholdkindsoheavilythatitwouldnecessarilypassoutofprivatehands;Iwouldmakeitstenuresocostlythatitwouldbeimpossibletoanybuttheveryrich，whoarealsotheverywicked，andoughttosuffer.\"
\"Oh，come，now！\"
\"IreferyoutoyourTestament.Intheend，allhouseholdpropertywouldpassintothehandsofthestate.\"
\"Aren\'tyougettingworseandworse？\"
\"Oh，I\'mnotsupposingtherewon\'tbealongintervalwhenhouseholdpropertywillbeinthehandsofpowerfulmonopolies，andmanymillionaireswillbemadebylettingitouttomiddle—classtenantslikeyouandme，alongwiththehouseswehireofthem.IhavenodoubtthattherewillbeaStandardHousehold—EffectCompany，whichwillextenditsrelationstoEurope，andgetthehouseholdeffectsofthewholeworldintoitsgrasp.Itwillbeafearfuloppression，andweshallprobablygroanunderitforgenerations，butitwillliberateusfromourpersonalownershipofthem，andfromthefarmorecrushingweightofthemoth—
ball.Weshallsuffer，but——\"
\"Iseewhatyoumean，\"Ihastenedtointerruptatthispoint，\"butthesesuggestiveremarksofyoursaregettingbeyond——Doyouthinkyoucoulddefertherestofyourincompletedsentenceforaweek？\"
\"Well，fornotmorethanaweek，\"saidmyfriend，withanairofdiscomfortinhisarrest.
II.
——\"Weshallnotsuffersomuchaswedounderourpresentsystem，\"saidmyfriend，completinghissentenceaftertheinterruptionofaweek.Bythistimewehadbothlefttown，andweretakingupthetalkagainontheverandaofasea—sidehotel.\"Asfortheeternal—womanly，itwillbehersalvationfromherself.Whenoncesheisexpropriatedfromherhouseholdeffects，andforbiddenunderseverepenaltiesfrommeddlingwiththoseoftheStandardHousehold—EffectCompany，shewillbegintogetbackherpeaceofmind，andbethesameblessingshewasbeforeshebeganhousekeeping.\"
\"Thatmayallverywellbe，\"Iassented，thoughIdidnotbelieveit，andIfoundsomethingalmosttoofantasticalinmyfriend\'sscheme.\"Butwhenweareexpropriatedfromallourdearestbelongings，whatistobecomeofourtenderandsacredassociationswiththem？\"
\"Whathasbecomeofdevotiontothefamilygods，andtheworshipofancestors？Oncethegravesofthedeadwereatthedooroftheliving，sothatlibationsmightbeconvenientlypouredoutonthem，andthegroundwheretheylaywasinalienablebecauseitwassupposedtobeusedbytheirspiritsaswellastheirbodies.Amancouldnotsellthebones，becausehecouldnotselltheghosts，ofhiskindred.By—andby，whenreligionceasedtobedomesticandbecamesocial，andtheserviceofthegodswascarriedonintemplescommontoall，itwasfoundthatthetombsofone\'sforefatherscouldbesoldwithoutviolencetotheirspectres.Idaresayitwouldn\'tbedifferentinthecaseofourtenderandsacredassociationswithtablesandchairs，potsandpans，bedsandbedding，picturesandbric—a—brac.Wehaveonlytoevolvealittlefurther.Infactwehavealreadyevolvedfarbeyondthepointthattroublesyou.Mostpeopleinmoderntownsandcitieshavechangedtheirdomicilesfromtentotwentytimesduringtheirlives，andhavenotpaidtheslightestattentiontothetenderandsacredassociationsconnectedwiththem.Idon\'tsupposeyouwouldsaythatamanhasnosuchassociationswiththehousethathasshelteredhim，whilehehasthemwiththestuffthathasfurnishedit？\"
\"No，Ishouldn\'tsaythat.\"
\"Ifanything，thehouseshouldbedearerthanthehouseholdgear.Yetateachremovewedragalengtheningchainoftables，chairs，side—boards，portraits，landscapes，bedsteads，washstands，stoves，kitchenutensils，andbric—a—bracafterus，because，asmywifesays，wecannotbeartopartwiththem.Atseveraltimesinourownliveswehaveaccumulatedstuffenoughtofurnishtwoorthreehouseandhavepaidaprettystiffhouse—rentintheformofstoragefortheoverflow.Why，Iamdoingthatverythingnow！Aren\'tyou？\"
\"Iam——inacertaindegree，\"Iassented.
\"Weallare，wewell—to—dopeople，aswethinkourselves.OncemywifeandIrevoltedbyacommonimpulseagainsttheridiculouswasteandslaveryofthething.Wewenttothestoragewarehouseandsentthreeorfourvanloadsoftherubbishtotheauctioneer.Someofthepieceswehadnotseenforyears，andaseachwashauledoutforustoinspectanddecideupon，wecondemnedittotheauction—blockwithshoutsofrejoicing.Tenderandsacredassociations！Wehadn\'thadsuchlightheartssincewehadputeverythinginstorageandgonetoEuropeindefinitelyaswehadwhenweleftthosethingstobecartedoutofourlivesforever.Notonehadbeenapleasuretous;thesightofeveryonehadbeenapang.Allwewantedwasnevertoseteyesonthemagain.\"
\"Imustsayyouhavedisposedofthetenderandsacredassociationsprettyeffectually，sofarastheyrelatetothingsinstorage.Butthethingsthatwehaveindailyuse？\"
\"Itisexactlythesamewiththem.Whyshouldtheybemoretousthanthefloorsandwallsofthehouseswemoveinandmoveoutofwithnoparticularpathos？AndIthinkweoughtnottocareforthem，certainlynottothepointoflettingthemdestroyoureternal—womanlywiththeanxietyshefeelsforthem.Sheisreallymuchmoreprecious，ifshecouldbutrealizeit，thananythingsheswathesincheese—clothorwrapsupwithmoth—balls.Theproofofthefactthatthewholethingisapieceofmeresentimentalityisthatwemayliveinafurnishedhouseforyears，amidalltheaccidentsofbirthanddeath，joyandsorrow，andyetnotformtheslightestattachmenttothefurniture.Whyshouldwehavetenderandsacredassociationswithathingwehavebought，andnotwithathingwehavehired？\"
\"Iconfess，Idon\'tknow.Anddoyoureallythinkwecouldliberateourselvesfromourbelongingsiftheydidn\'tbelongtous？Wouldn\'ttheeternal—womanlystillkeepputtingthemawayforsummerandtakingthemoutforwinter？\"
