e, in a certain
way, regarded by my wife and me as perennially "the baby"; and these
little, old-fashioned, decisive ways of announcing her opinions seemed
so much a part of her nature, so peculiarly "Jennyish," as I used to
say, that my wife and I only exchanged amused glances over her head,
when they occurred.

In a general way, Jennie, standing in the full orb of her feminine
instincts like Diana in the moon, rather looked down on all masculine
views of women's matters as "_tolerabiles ineptiae_"; but towards her
papa she had gracious turns of being patronizing to the last degree; and
one of these turns was evidently at its flood-tide, as she proceeded to
say,--

"_I_ think papa is right,--that keeping house and having a home, and all
that, is a very serious thing, and that people go into it with very
little thought about it. I really think those things papa has been
saying there ought to be thought about."

"Papa," said Marianne, "I wish you would tell me exactly how _you_ would
spend that money you gave me for house-furnishing. I should like just
your views."

"Precisely," said Jennie, with eagerness; "because it is just as papa
says,--a sensible man, who has thought, and had experience, can't help
having some ideas, even about women's affairs, that are worth attending
to. I think so, decidedly."

I acknowledged the compliment for my sex and myself with my best bow.

"But then, papa," said Marianne, "I can't help feeling sorry that one
can't live in such a way as to have beautiful things around one. I'm
sorry they must cost so much, and take so much care, for I am made so
that I really want them. I do so like to see pretty things! I do like
rich carpets and elegant carved furniture, and fine china and cut-glass
and silver. I can't bear mean, common-looking rooms. I should so like to
have my house look beautiful!"

"Your house ought not to look mean and common,--your house ought to look
beautiful," I replied. "It would be a sin and a shame to have it
otherwise. No house ought to be fitted up for a future home without a
strong and a leading reference to beauty in all its arrangements. If I
were, a Greek, I should say that the first household libation should be
made to beauty; but, being an old-fashioned Christian, I would say that
he who prepares a home with no eye to beauty neglects the example of the
great Father who has filled our earth-home with such elaborate
ornament."

"But then, papa, there's the m