Ididnotplastertillitwasfreezingweather。Ibroughtoversomewhiterandcleanersandforthispurposefromtheoppositeshoreofthepondinaboat，asortofconveyancewhichwouldhavetemptedmetogomuchfartherifnecessary。Myhousehadinthemeanwhilebeenshingleddowntothegroundoneveryside。InlathingIwaspleasedtobeabletosendhomeeachnailwithasingleblowofthehammer，anditwasmyambitiontotransfertheplasterfromtheboardtothewallneatlyandrapidly。Irememberedthestoryofaconceitedfellow，who，infineclothes，waswonttoloungeaboutthevillageonce，givingadvicetoworkmen。Venturingonedaytosubstitutedeedsforwords，heturneduphiscuffs，seizedaplasterer’sboard，andhavingloadedhistrowelwithoutmishap，withacomplacentlooktowardthelathingoverhead，madeaboldgesturethitherward；andstraightway，tohiscompletediscomfiture，receivedthewholecontentsinhisruffledbosom。I
admiredanewtheeconomyandconvenienceofplastering，whichsoeffectuallyshutsoutthecoldandtakesahandsomefinish，andI
learnedthevariouscasualtiestowhichtheplastererisliable。I
wassurprisedtoseehowthirstythebrickswerewhichdrankupallthemoistureinmyplasterbeforeIhadsmoothedit，andhowmanypailfulsofwaterittakestochristenanewhearth。IhadthepreviouswintermadeasmallquantityoflimebyburningtheshellsoftheUniofluviatilis，whichourriveraffords，forthesakeoftheexperiment；sothatIknewwheremymaterialscamefrom。I
mighthavegotgoodlimestonewithinamileortwoandburneditmyself，ifIhadcaredtodoso。