After all, however, very little is known of the true philosophy of dreaming; and perhaps the quaint fancy of Sir Thomas Browne may not be as utterly absurd as at first it seems—that this life is but a dream, and that death will be an agreeable awaking to our real life, whose past is now forgotten only because we are now asleep. THE HOMELIKE HOUSE. BY SUSAN HAYES WARD. CHAPTER III.—THE DINING ROOM. Iss was gar ist, Trink’ was klar ist, Sprich was wahr ist. —_German Dining Room Motto._ The central work-room of the house is the kitchen. There labor is continuous. There three times a day, year in and year out, the meals must be cooked, and the pots and pans washed. Slovenly work there tells all over the house. An ill-regulated kitchen involves poor cookery and waste, and cheapens the most artistically arranged dining room. But the importance of good, careful and intelligent cookery hardly comes within the limits of this article. It behooves us, however, to insist upon it that the room where so much of the necessary work of home is carried on, should be airy, sunny, cheerful, well stocked with the implements essential to the lightening of kitchen labor, and adapted in every way to the comfort of its occupants. A good farmer supplies himself with tools and machines for his farm work; but his wife often toils with cracked stove, green wood, and a scant supply of kettles and pans, when only a slight outlay would save her many weary steps and much worry of mind. The kitchen should have painted walls that can be readily washed. Indeed, every surface in the room should be washable. There should be plenty of closet room, a large sink, a large work-table, comfortable chairs, at least one easy chair, a shelf for books, and room in the window for a few plants if desired. A picture or two would not be out of place if protected by glass, nor an occasional motto—like the charge to the German cook: “Köchin, denk’ an deine Pflicht, Vergiss du heut’ das Salz ja nicht.” Or the admirable rules for home living which Dr. Watts wrote for children: “I’ll not willingly offend Nor be easily offended; What is ill I’ll strive to mend, And endure what can’t be mended.” There are many small houses where either kitchen or sitting-room has to serve also as dining room. Any sensible woman can make shift to get along comfortably in this way and eat her bread and honey with the queen in the kitchen when necessity compels, so long as she has neatness and despatch for hand-maidens. One large, light room is often far better than two small dark ones; but where a room does double duty there can hardly be unity in the arrangement and furnishing.