The House / An Episode in the Lives of Reuben Baker, Astronomer, and of His Wife, Alice

The narrative follows Reuben Baker, an earnest astronomer, and his wife Alice as they pursue the dream of owning and improving a modest house. Through episodic chapters they buy property, haggle over payments and a mortgage, plan and attempt repairs and decorations, and encounter an eccentric cast of neighbors, contractors, and civic annoyances. Episodes mix gentle comedy and domestic frustration—garden thistles, ordinance disputes, insurance questions, plumbing, painting, stray animals, and schemes to economize—while underscoring the couple's partnership, the gap between aspiration and reality, and the everyday absurdities of suburban life. The final fulfillment is left unresolved, preserving the story's wistful, quietly ironic tone.