two thirds of our life must be passed in the house, and usually in
closed rooms on account of the cold. Now two persons cannot sit an hour
in one room before the air becomes vitiated. Most forms of ventilation
prove inadequate. M. was a vigorous young lady who made it a rule to
leave a window slightly open all the time she was at work, being careful
not to sit in the draught. But where this is not convenient, it is a
good plan to open a window wide every hour or two for a minute. I knew a
girl who tried that plan, but gave it up because it seemed so
ridiculous to jump up from her studies every little while for the
purpose. Yet nothing is worse than to sit still at one occupation for
several hours, and even the slight change of position would do one
almost as much good as the fresh air.

It is indispensable to have the window open through the night in every
sleeping-room. But here caution is needed, because when the body is
quiet a draught is a serious injury. Strips of wood across the open part
of the window will generally be sufficient protection. Some of you
shiver at the idea of breathing out of door air in the winter. You are
so cold! Do you know that the moment you begin to breathe it you begin
to grow warm from the increased action of the blood? But

_Do not take cold._

The results of colds are more serious than one likes to say.
Consumption, pneumonia, catarrh, deafness are some of their names. And
the whole tone of the system is lowered by them. But the over-careful
people are precisely those who suffer most from colds, because here, as
in so many other directions, the nerves have sway.

Now, most colds are taken in one of four ways: By sitting in a draught,
by becoming thoroughly chilled, by wetting the feet, and by breathing
raw air. But none of these things are necessarily injurious to a young
girl in ordinary health--_provided_ she at once does what she can to
counteract their effects. Move out of the draught, warm the body as
thoroughly as it was chilled, dry the feet before sitting down, and
cover the mouth with a veil so that the air is slightly warmed before
breathing. Then one need never stay in for the weather, even if one
already has a cold.

Of course there are very delicate girls who need special care, but I am
speaking to the average girl. Do not forget that a cold is a terrible
thing, but also remember that it can be avoided by a little care at the
right time, and by entire forgetfulness at