---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - Dutcher, Edward William
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 2
number: 12
published: 1899-10
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'Dutcher, Edward William, "A Strange Dwelling," *Improvement Era* 2, no. 12 (October 1899): 942–943.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera212unse
  transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers.
  identifier: improvementera212unse
start_page: 942
end_page: 943
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1899-10)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera212unse
  publication_year: 1899
  note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1899, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright.
---

# A Strange Dwelling

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STRANGE DWELLING.
                    EDWARD WILLIAM DUTCHER.

      I have in mind   to build a house.   I   have not yet concluded
when to lay the foundation, but when I do       it   will   be unique and
unlike any house ever yet constructed, as far as I know, and I do
not believe there is such a house in existence today.         Possibly no
one has ever before thought of such a dwelling.     The difference
between the contemplated structure and the houses we now occupy
is this: Every stone in the foundation will be dressed and polished
on all sides, even if but one side is to be seen, or if the stones are

<!-- page:943 -->

A STRANGE DWELLING.                               943

entirely hidden from view.       The cellar wall will be just as perfect
on the back side as the face.            The   posts, joists   and   all   the
material which will be hidden in the construction of the dwelling
must be planed and dressed smooth on all sides and painted full
coats like the exterior. The under side of the floors, the back of
the wainscoting, the rafters and all parts that are enclosed in dark
and unseen places shall be finished a3 perfectly as the elegant and
costly front    doors.    The same with the furnishings.             All   the
unseen parts of the furniture must be polished and finished as near
perfection as the art and skill of man can conceive.           All the walks
leading from the house shall be as finely finished, the under side as
well as the upper.       My idea is to have it as near perfection as
possible   — as nature would have      it.   The rose is so without and
within, even though it blooms a thousand miles from human sight.
So with everything that grows. There is no sham in the hollyhock
or the lily.These shall be my teachers. Maybe no one will ever
know of this but the builders and myself.         Will this be a waste of
time and money?      I    think not.   When I entertain my friends I
shall have the satisfaction of knowing that it is not a make-believe
house, but a truth in every way.
     This is the way our character should be built up, and I think
it will be wise to buildeverything that goes to make our lives of
some use to others about us, on the same principle. Let us be real
and true even when shut out from the sight of the world. Hiding
a fault does not destroy it.