(by the way, I'm flattered to
know that a notable housekeeper finds anything promising in what I
have thus far written you) not to give up the ship. One more broadside
for the brick-yard, and we will pass on to loftier themes.

LETTER XIV.

From John.

EVERY MAN TO HIS TRADE.

My dear Architect: There is one point you might as well square up
before you go any further. I understood that I was to build my house
for myself to live in, not for my neighbors to look at. But I appeal
to any white man, if you haven't had a deal more to say about the
outside of the platter than the contents thereof. To be sure, it's
what I might have expected. It's a way you architects have. You can no
more help thinking how a house is going to look, than a woman can help
hoping her first baby will be a beauty. I allow it would be a
first-rate thing if we could have some streaks of originality, just a
trifle more of variety, and a few glimpses of really good taste, along
with the crumbs of comfort; and I'm willing to admit that your moves
in that direction, as far as I can follow them, are all right. Still,
it's a downright fact, that, unless a man is a great simpleton or a
small Croesus, he is more anxious to make his house cosey and
convenient, than he is to outshine his neighbors or beautify the
landscape.

Sister Jane wants to know whether, in case one wishes to begin
housekeeping on a small scale, it would be as easy to make additions
to a brick house for future need, as to a wooden one. She doesn't ask
on her own account, but for a friend of hers who is talking of
building.

I expect you'll inquire pretty soon who's running these letters,--you
or I; but if we don't sometimes show our ignorance by asking
questions and making comments, how are you going to know what sort of
information to shed?

Yours,
JOHN.

LETTER XV.

From the Architect.

THE COMING HOUSE WILL BE FAIR TO SEE AND MADE OF BRICK.

Dear John: Once for all, your questions and those of Sister Jane or
any of her friends and relatives are always in order. The more the
better. I will do my best to answer them, if not exactly by return
mail, yet as soon as may be.

Other things being equal, a house built of brick may be as easily
increased to suit a growing family as one built of wood. There is
necessarily a loss attending any change in a finished building, yet it
is often well to arrange one's plans with reference to future
additions. Will it be