Woman's Rights Convention."

"I am of Sojourner Truth's opinion," said my wife,--"that the best way
to prove the propriety of one's doing anything is to go and _do it_.
A woman who should have energy to grow through the preparatory
studies and set to work in this field would, I am sure, soon find
employment."

"If she did as well as you would do, my dear," said I. "There are
plenty of young women in our Boston high schools who are going through
higher fields of mathematics than are required by the architect, and
the schools for design show the flexibility and fertility of the
female pencil. The thing appears to me altogether more feasible than
many other openings which have been suggested to woman."

"Well," said Jenny, "isn't papa ever to go on with his paper?"

* * * * *

I continued:--

* * * * *

What ought "our house" to be? Could any other question be asked
admitting in its details of such varied answers,--answers various as
the means, the character, and situation of different individuals? But
there are great wants, pertaining to every human being, into which all
lesser ones run. There are things in a house that every one, high or
low, rich or poor, ought, according to his means, to seek. I think I
shall class them according to the elemental division of the old
philosophers: Fire, Air, Earth, and Water. These form the groundwork
of this _need-be_,--the _sine-qua-nons_ of a house.

* * * * *

"Fire, air, earth, and water! I don't understand," said Jenny.

"Wait a little till you do, then," said I. "I will try to make my
meaning plain."

* * * * *

The first object of a house is shelter from the elements. This object
is effected by a tent or wigwam which keeps off rain and wind. The
first disadvantage of this shelter is, that the vital air which you
take into your lungs, and on the purity of which depends the purity of
blood and brain and nerves, is vitiated. In the wigwam or tent you
are constantly taking in poison, more or less active, with every
inspiration. Napoleon had his army sleep without tents. He stated that
from experience he found it more healthy, and wonderful have been the
instances of delicate persons gaining constantly in rigor from being
obliged, in the midst of hardships, to sleep constantly in the open
air. Now the first problem in housebuilding is to combine