In art, it would be well to make a special study of color. A term or two in one of the schools of technology and design would be very beneficial; for in such an institution, coming in contact, as he will, with other pupils, and having all sorts of difficult problems forced upon his attention, his intellect will be quickened and his progress helped by the spirit of competition. But the mere fact of having graduated at such an institution will be of no help to him unless he has made good use of the advantages it affords. The schools are not to blame, but too many boys, while able to answer questions put to them in regard to special studies, are not able to put to practical use the learning they have acquired. Such, at least, is a complaint often heard from practical architects.

Having finished his school studies at the age of, say, seventeen, if the boy is able to spare the time and the money, he should go to Paris and there become a pupil in the School of Fine Arts. This is practically a free school. There is an initiation fee amounting to ten dollars, and dues are assessed each month to the sum of about one dollar and twenty cents of American money,— these dues being applied to the purchase of material for the school. Boys and young men from all countries go there to study painting, sculpture, and architecture; and, it may be said, there is no part of the world where better accommodations and more inspiring influences can be found for the study of these arts than the capital of France.

To enter the architectural branch of this school, the candidate must pass an examination in elementary mathematics, history, free-hand drawing, and architecture. He is obliged to obtain a certain number of "points," or good marks, as we should call them, before he can be considered a pupil.

There are two classes in the architectural school, the second and first. The beginner enters the second class, and while there passes an examination in mathematics, including analytical geometry, conic sections, geometry, perspective, and surveying. Then there is an examination in architectural construction, which is partly oral, and partly consists in making an original design for a building; the student has three months' time in which to make this plan. In the meanwhile, he hears lectures on various topics pertaining to his studies. Aside from this, every two months there is a twelve hours' "competition," each student making the sketch of a building which, during the two months following the competition, is to be wrought out and elaborated, under the direction of a professor. These sketches are publicly exhibited and inspected by a committee of twenty or twenty-five of the most eminent architects of Paris. The committee render judgment upon them, and

award "first" or "second mention," according to the quality of the work. To become a pupil of the first class, one must have passed six examinations and have obtained six "first mentions " in the competitions of which I have just spoken.

In the first class, there are no more examinations, but the contests are much more difficult. The competitions are still public, and a jury still gives its judgment on the work of the pupils.

There is no specific time for graduation; a student graduates when he has received the required number of "first mentions." It would hardly be possible, under the most favorable conditions, to graduate in less time than two years and six months. Many pupils remain at the school from five to eight years without being able to enter the first class.

After graduating from this school, the pupil enters the office of an architect, in some European or American city, at a salary commensurate with his abilities. There he will very soon acquire a practical knowledge of his profession, and after a while will be able to open an office for himself.

In

But let us suppose that the boy could not afford to go to Paris, and that he has graduated from one of the Technical Schools of Design, of which there are several in the country. What does he do then? He enters the office of an architect. England this is considered a great privilege and has to be roundly paid for; but here no charge is exacted, and the student occasionally, though only for a short time, gives his services gratuitously to his employer. His first work will be what is called "inking." The "plan" of a building is first made in pencil, for the reason that during the progress of the drawing erasures may have to be made. When the drawing is considered to be correct, the lines are "inked" over by the beginner with a ruling-pen. Under the direction of his employer, he will also be studying books on architectural construction. The best book on this subject is an English work, cntitled “Notes on Building Construction," in four volumes, three of which have been published. And here it may be said that the literature of architecture is vast. Some of the most useful books are in the French language; hence a knowledge of that language, or at least the ability to read it, is exceedingly desirable.

The boy's progress will depend on his talent and industry. After a while he will be able to make a plan of a floor in a small house; then of several floors; then an "elevation," which is a representation of the flat side of a building, drawn with mathematical accuracy, but without the slightest attention to effect; and from that he will gradually work into details and complete knowledge.

While working for his employer, and learning the theoretical part of his profession, he will not have had many opportunities, during the ordinary hours of business, to have seen work in the course of execution. These opportunities he must seize as best he can. His office hours will not be so late that he can not, if he is so disposed, find time to visit buildings in course of erection and see how the work is being done. For the architect is a sort of clerk of the works, and is obliged to see that the plan he has made is being carried out according to the specifications. He must obtain a knowledge of all the materials used in the construction of a building,- the wood, the stone, the iron, the plumbing pipes and fittings. All this seems quite formidable, but it is not a severe task. The information is picked up gradually during the progress of office work, and the effort in obtaining it will hardly be felt.

The question of what wages the student will have while he is in the office is a very difficult one to answer. There is no settled rate of pay for young men in such positions; the general rule seems to be to pay them what they are worth. One assistant may be making six or eight dollars a week, and another, in the same office, twenty dollars a week, both having been there the same length of time. It may be said, however, that after he has been in an architect's office for five years a young man, who has the proper talent and has been faithful to his work, should be earning from twentyfive to thirty dollars a week. If he has been indolent, he can not expect such wages. A prominent architect informed me that he had employed in his office men fifty years of age who were absolutely inaccurate in the simplest details of the art; because they had never taken the pains to thoroughly learn their profession.

But the enterprising young architect will probably wish to open an office of his own. To do this successfully he must secure patrons through personal acquaintances and influential friends. When he starts, he will know something in regard to what he can depend upon. He has a certain circle of friends and acquaintances. From these he ought reasonably to expect a certain number of commissions, and, if he does good work, he will be recommended from one to another, until his services are in demand. No rule can be set down in such a case any more than in regard to a lawyer's or a doctor's practice. It all depends upon

the man and his surroundings. For some time, he will have to make plans of small private houses and private dwellings. When he has become the architect of some public building, and has designed a structure which not only pleases his employers, but attracts the attention of the general public, it may be safe to say that he is on the high road to pecuniary fortune.

For drawing the plan of a house to cost six or seven thousand dollars the architect receives from three hundred to three hundred and fifty dollars; in short, as a rule, his fee is five per cent. on the cost of the building. But upon buildings costing one hundred thousand dollars or more, the price paid the architect is usually a matter of special agreement.

During his early years, his greatest expense will be for books. As already stated, the literature of architecture is extensive and, it might be added, expensive; but books the young architect must have, and many of them. His capital lies as much in his head as in his fingers, and the more he knows, the better able will he be to do his work, and the better work will he be able to do. He must be a constant student. The taste of the public changes; new styles of building are demanded; new materials are introduced in their construction. A few years ago, terra cotta began to be extensively used in building, and forthwith all the architects had to make a special study of that article, which, as you know, plays an important part in some of the finest buildings in our large cities. The student must read also good periodicals relating to his profession, and, if possible, some of the French publications, which are very good.

If a young man fails in making at least a good living as an architect, it seems to me it must be through his own fault. From what I have said, he must see that the full knowledge for the profession is not easily acquired. It takes time, and a long time, to become proficient in it; but this will not deter a youth whose ambition and talent lie in that direction. "Some travelers," says Bishop Hall, "have more shrunk at the map than at the way; between both, how many stand still with their arms folded!" Once having started on your architectural journey, pursue it bravely, perseveringly, patiently, to the end. Above all, having made up your mind to be an architect, look to it that you do not stand with folded arms lingering by the way-side.

without; State of trees that it were part one of the

a scrap of sausage, nor a penny with which to buy any. And if there had been heaps of pennies, Otto would not have known where to spend them, for their father did all their shopping, such as it was, at the village three miles away, and they themselves rarely stirred outside the woods.

The father turned in his sleep and muttered strange words, for the fever had mounted to his head. Meenie was frightened, so Otto took her to the window to count the stars, and, as they watched, a thought came into Otto's mind.

Ta window, trying to count the stars in the Christmas sky, stood two little children. The little girl and the little boy had both been born in a faraway country called Germany; and the hut in which they were might have been many, so smoky and was it within, and tered was it by trees but it was really in the New Jersey, and the waved bare branches above of the woods that crowned Orange Mountains.

It was Christmas Eve-that he knew perfectly, for his father had been telling them about it continually for weeks before, and had even talked of it in his sleep during the last few days. And whenever he spoke of Christmas he would tell them the story of the wise men following the star until it led them to the manger where the little Christ child lay. He had heard it read and told so often by the good pastor of his little native village that the words had never lost themselves in his mind, and he was always able to repeat it, and in exactly the same way, every time they wanted to hear it; and it was of this story that Otto was thinking as they counted the stars. He wondered which star it was it must have been that large bright one so nearly overhead; perhaps, if he were to follow it, he too might find the Christ child, and then all their troubles would be ended; - he might try at least.

The father of the two children had come to America, two years before, strong-hearted and hopeful,-poor fellow! - with his rosy-checked young wife and two chubby, round-eyed babies. But the rosy-cheeked young wife had died, and he was left all alone in a strange country with his two little children to keep and care for; and at first he had succeeded very fairly,-by tilling, scraping, and clearing the small patch of ground he owned. But at last came a year when, between the potato-bugs in the ground, and the chills and the fever in his own bones, he had a sorry time; and on Christmas Eve of that year, he had been more than a week in bed, aching in every joint, and perfectly helpless with the worst attack he had yet known.

"Meenie," he said,- in German, as he could not speak English,-"I am going to follow that big star there, and see if I can find the little Christ child."

"Yes, and Meenie will go too," answered Meenie, nodding her head with satisfaction. "No, no, Meenie, it will be too cold, and you will be too tired."

The children, poor little things, were very good, and cared for him to the best of their small ability. Meenie was only five years old, but rather tall for her age, indeed, she was quite as tall as Otto, who was six, and more helpful than many an American boy of twelve. He kept the fire bright with broken branches which he picked up, and fed his sister with bread and sausage as long as there was any with which to feed her. The father could eat nothing, and Otto munched his crusts dry. That night he had given Meenie the last bit of bread; there was not a crumb more in the cupboard, nor

But Meenie only smiled, and repeated, "Meenie will go too!" So Otto said no more.

He built up the fire with the largest sticks he could find, and placed a tin cup of water by his father's bedside, in case he should awake and be thirsty before their return; then he wrapped Meenie up in the queer, green, knitted scarf she always wore out-of-doors, and they crept from the house.

It was cold, cold, dreadfully cold! The sky was black and cold; the stars were shining and cold; and the wind came in long cold gusts that made the trees shudder, as if they missed their summer clothing. The snow was frozen so stiff on top that