THE staircase in the better class of houses should not be built, save the rough carriages, until after plastering is completed and dry, for the reasons before stated. The "treads and risers" for all good stairs should be ganed, or housed in, to back stringer, as the term is used; and where the face stringer is cased up or made what is known as a close stringer, they should be housed into this also, and these grooves should be cut on a bevel, and wedged and glued in place solid and nailed. In the corner,' between the stringers, a small, square, pine block, some six inches long, should be glued in against "tread" and "riser." This holds the stairs, or "treads" and "risers," solidly together, and prevents the squeaking so often heard when going up and down many apparently good flights of stairs. All kinds of wood used for inside finish are used in stair work.

Until within a few years, the post at foot of stairs, or newel post, banisters, and rail have been made from black-walnut, except in the more pretentious houses, where mahogany is sometimes used. But at the present, in the East, very little black-walnut is used for stair work, ash, oak, and butternut, being substituted. We have now, in ordinary houses even, broken away, in a measure at least, from the old-style turned newel post and banister, and in their place you find a square post for a newel, ornamented in a simple and pleasing manner on the base and shaft, with a cap formed in a graceful outline to the top, for a gas-light stand, or candelabrum, or if this is not wanted, an ornament of wood. On the side of staircase, in place of the banisters is found a neat design for a series of cut panels, made quite open, so as not to look too "boxey," and this surmounted by the rail.

If there is room in the arrangement to turn the stair once, at least, when part way up, on a level landing, with a square angle post at the corner, the effect is good. The level landing of course takes a little more room. An ordinary flight of stairs can be made in a neat and simple design, something after the plan stated above, at a cost very little more than the old style, and it looks very much better.

A window of stained glass, over a staircase, or at a landing part way up, gives a very pretty effect of color in the hall below. Rear or back stairs are not always housed in the stringer, but in a good house it is better, and there should never be over three "winders " in turning a corner, as when more are used it renders the steps so narrow that a person going down is liable to fall.

In building, always bear in mind that back stairs are used as much by nearly all the occupants as the front stairs, and therefore as much care should be taken in their construction.