A man's house burns down. The smoking wreckage represents only a ruined home that was dear through years of use and pleasant associations. By and by, as the days and weeks go on, first he misses this, then that, then the other thing. And when he casts about for it he finds that it was in that house. Always it is an essential -- there was but one of its kind. It cannot be replaced. It was in that house. It is irrevocably lost. It will be years before the tale of lost essentials is complete, and not till then can he truly know the magnitude of his disaster.

Summary

This quote portrays the gradual realization and impact of a man's loss when his house burns down. Initially, he laments the physical destruction and sentimental value of his home. However, as time goes on, he begins to recognize the absence of specific items crucial to his daily life, realizing their irreplaceable nature. The quote implies that the true magnitude of the disaster unfolds over time as he gradually comprehends the countless essential possessions that were forever lost in the fire. Only with the passage of years will he fully understand the extent of his devastating loss.

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