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

In Short

This story follows Reuben Baker, a naive but good-natured astronomer, and his wife, Alice, as they navigate the chaotic process of buying and renovating a house. Their journey is marked by endless interference from well-meaning neighbors, unreliable workmen, and a succession of "special" expenses that test their finances and patience. The book captures the universal domestic struggle of trying to build a perfect home while surrounded by human imperfection. Its lasting power lies in its affectionate, humorous portrayal of the everyday frictions that define the shared life of a couple.

The Story

The narrative begins with Reuben and Alice living in rented quarters, dreaming of owning their own home. Reuben, a man whose mind is occupied by the orbits of satellites and the mysteries of constellations, is largely unprepared for the harsh realities of real estate. When they finally purchase the "Schmittheimer rookery," they believe they have secured a bargain, only to find themselves immediately besieged by a cast of neighbors—the Baylors, the Rushes, the Denslows—each of whom has a conflicting opinion on how the house should be remodeled.

The renovation process turns into a comedic saga of escalating costs and social obligations. Reuben, ever the optimist, attempts to remain peaceful, but he is constantly thwarted by the "crochets" of contractors and the unsolicited advice of friends. Adah, a neighbor who holds her friend Maria’s house in St. Joseph as the gold standard of architectural taste, relentlessly critiques Alice’s design choices. Meanwhile, Reuben is baffled by the strange influx of vendors and agents who descend upon him like birds of prey, selling everything from smoke-consumers to lightning rods, simply because he has become a "property owner."

As the construction progresses, the house itself seems to take on a personality, resisting their efforts to tame it. Doors warp, windows are painted shut, and the driveway—a prehistoric stretch of sand—breaks the springs of every delivery wagon that dares enter. Reuben’s attempts to maintain his dignity and his scholarly pursuits are constantly interrupted by mundane crises, such as a dispute over a city water ordinance that results in a fine, or the sudden appearance of exotic animals from a neighbor’s collection.

Throughout these mishaps, Reuben struggles with the realization that he has little control over his own domestic environment. He and Alice take out a life insurance policy at the insistence of a persistent salesman, and they find themselves trapped in a cycle of paying for services they don't need, like the "itinerant" sprinkling cart that costs them twenty-one dollars a season. Even when they attempt to fix a simple broken window, they end up paying exorbitant fees for labor that far outweigh the cost of the glass.

The story does not culminate in a grand, finished masterpiece of a home, nor does it reach a polished conclusion. Instead, it ends as it lived—in a state of ongoing, slightly exasperated, and deeply affectionate maintenance. Reuben comes to accept his role as the "ornament" of the household, forever at the mercy of the house’s quirks and the neighborhood’s demands. The house is never truly "done," because the life lived within it is a constant, shifting negotiation between the owners and the world around them.

How It Unfolds

The dream takes root Reuben and Alice decide to move from their rented home into a house of their own, inviting the enthusiastic, yet often unhelpful, scrutiny of their social circle. The neighbors immediately treat the purchase as a community project, each offering competing visions for the property's renovation.

The influx of agents Once the purchase is finalized, Reuben finds himself a magnet for a host of local salesmen and contractors. He discovers that being a property owner means being subject to endless, polite extortion from those selling everything from patent rakes to garbage removal.

The renovation struggle Uncle Si, the builder, begins work, but the process is plagued by misunderstandings and a lack of formal contracts. Alice and Reuben find their home’s design hijacked by the aesthetic preferences of neighbors and the practical incompetence of the workmen.

The battle with the elements The house’s physical state leads to constant, minor catastrophes, such as jammed doors and impenetrable windows. Reuben’s attempts to solve these problems on his own result in unintended damage and further expense, as he learns that home repair is an expensive, never-ending cycle.

The final surrender The couple eventually accepts their lot, living in a house that remains perpetually under repair and surrounded by neighbors who are as intrusive as they are dear. Reuben finds a quiet, somewhat resigned peace in his role as a husband and homeowner, realizing that the house is a living, breathing entity that will never be fully under his control.

The People

Reuben Baker is the book’s heart—a gentle, scholarly astronomer who lives in the clouds of scientific theory and is hopelessly out of his depth on the ground. He wants peace and a nice home for his family, but his refusal to be anything but polite makes him a perennial victim of anyone with a contract or a suggestion. He ends the story more aware of his own impracticality, but no less kind.

Alice Baker is Reuben’s "loyal little heart," a woman who is arguably more pragmatic than her husband but still easily swayed by the social expectations of her neighbors. She wants the house to be perfect and presentable, and she frequently battles with both Reuben and the neighbors to preserve her own agency in the design process.

Uncle Si is the wily contractor whose "verbal understandings" form the basis of the renovation, yet he remains perpetually baffled by the actual requirements of the job. He represents the unpredictability of the labor force and serves as a catalyst for the couple's mounting frustrations.

The Neighbors, including Adah, the Denslows, and the Baylors, are the Greek chorus of the book. They are well-intentioned, intrusive, and fiercely opinionated. They represent the weight of social conformity, forcing Reuben and Alice to prioritize the expectations of others over their own comfort and budget.

In Its Own Voice

"Alice does not stop to consider that our neighbors have never read the royal octavo volume I wrote upon the subject of that discovery; Alice herself has never read that book."

Reuben reflects on the gap between his professional reputation as an astronomer and his wife’s simple, loving pride in his status.

"I find it very pleasing--the solicitude with which these newly-made acquaintances (the venders, agents, and other polite gentlemen) regard me, and attend upon me, and seek to gain my approval."

Reuben describes the ironic realization that his new status as a homeowner has turned him into a target for every salesman in town.

"The windows all over the house are fast in their casings, having been painted so carefully by those rascally painters that it requires the power of a steam derrick to raise them."

Reuben recounts the absurd reality of his "improved" home, where basic functions like opening a window require Herculean effort.

What It's Really About

The book is a meditation on the vanity of trying to create a perfect, private sphere in a public world. It argues that a home is not merely a structure of wood and brick, but a social construct defined by the people who occupy it and the neighbors who watch it. Underlying the humor is a question about the nature of compromise: can a couple truly claim a space as their own when they are bound by the expectations, traditions, and economic pressures of their community? It suggests that the "heart's desire" of home ownership is inherently messy, and that the domestic life is ultimately a series of small, graceful surrenders to the chaos of reality.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy gentle, character-driven humor will find a kindred spirit in Reuben Baker. If you have ever felt like a victim of a home-improvement project or found yourself nodding along to the unsolicited advice of a neighbor, this book will feel like a familiar, humorous companion. It is written with a light touch and a deep sense of empathy for the struggles of a young family.

However, the reader should be prepared for the pacing of late 19th-century prose, which takes its time to develop scenarios and favors reflective, leisurely narration over quick-fire action. The book reflects the social attitudes and class structures of its era; for instance, the way the characters view their domestic staff and the "tradesmen" as part of their social landscape may feel dated to a modern reader. These period attitudes are not presented as a critique, but as the accepted reality of the author's world.

Ultimately, this is a book about the endurance of a partnership. What stays with you is not the resolution of the renovation, but the image of a husband and wife, flawed and slightly overwhelmed, holding onto each other as they navigate the small, absurd obstacles of daily life. It is a warm, steady read that finds great significance in the mundane.