A PAGE OF FUGITIVE VERSE. GATHERED HERE AND THERE. GONE HOME. Oh! much you miss the good-night kiss To hear the whispered words that said, "Papa, I'm going home!" Up to the blessed Shepherd's fold, Thy darling, dark-eyed child. Gone home! and though above her grave Yet memory brings the good-night kiss, KISS THEM GOOD NIGHT. And up the nursery stairs they climb, The starry night is fair without; BUT ONE PAIR OF STOCKINGS. In an ancient chair whose creaky craw While down by her side on the kitchen floor But anon, a misty tear-drop came In her eye of faded blue, Then trickled down in a furrow deep, Like a single drop of dew; So deep was the channel-so silent the stream, The good man saw naught but the dimmed eyebeam. Yet marveled he much that the cheerful light And marveled he more at the tangled balls-- "I have shared thy joys since our marriage vow, Conceal not from me thy sorrows now." Then she spoke of the time when the basket there Was filled to the very brim, And now there remained of the goodly pile But a single pair-for him; Then wonder not at the dimmed eye-light; There's but one pair of stockings to mend to night. I cannot but think of the busy feet, In the basket, awaiting the needle's time- How the sprightly steps to a mother dear For each empty nook in the basket old, 'Tis for this that a tear gathered over my sight Oh! wonder no more at the dimmed eye-light, JUST FOR TO-DAY. Let me both diligently work Let me be slow to do my will, Let me no wrong or idle word Let me in season, Lord, be grave, Let me be faithful to the grace So, for to-morrow and its needs But keep me, guide me, love me, Lord, -Unidentified. HOW TO KEEP A TRUE LENT. Is this a fast-to keep The larder lean, And clean From fat of veals and sheep? Is it to quit the dish Of flesh, yet still The platter high with fish? Is it to fast an hour- Or show A downcast look, and sour? No! 'tis a fast to bole Thy sheaf of wheat, Unto the hungry soul. It is to fast from strife, To circumcise thy life, To show a heart grief-rent; And that's to keep thy lent. LEAD, KINDLY LIGHT. Lead, kindly light, amid the encircling gloom The night is dark, and I am far from home, Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou I love to choose and see my path; but now I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears, So long Thy power has blest me, sure it still O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent, till And with the morn those angel faces smile Meanwhile, along the narrow, rugged path Lead, Saviour, lead me home in childlike faith, To rest forever after earthly strife, -Cardinal Newman. THE OBSTACLE ALWAYS AHEAD. Yonder's the fruit we crave; Yonder the charming scene; For, rougher the way that we take, For ne'er from our impulse swerve; Our labors we count no loss; SEASONABLE TABLE SUPPLIES. [Gathered from New York Markets, expressly for GOOD HOUSEKEEPING.] BY MRS. F. A. BENSON. There is a fresh and springlike aspect in city markets, caused by a profusion of country supplies, the appearance of crates of strawberries, and a few plants. There has been much disappointment because of the omission of the annual trout exhibition which has been for many years a feature of the markets April 1st. A law forbidding the sale of brook trout until May 1st, a time too late to transport the speckled beauties from any distance, has caused a considerable loss to all the marketmen. FISH. The mussel season has opened, and all the booths surrounding the markets, have sprung up in a night, for the sale of these shell fish pickled. They are 50 cents a bushel in shell and 25 cents a quart pickled. Canada cultivated frogs' legs are so large and extra fine that three weigh one pound-they are 90 cents a pound. There is an increased demand for Rainbow trout. They are $1.50 a pound. Shad roes are plump and heavy and 35 cents a pair. Oyster crabs are very scarce, the chief supply of these come from Virginia; the price remains $2 a quart. Only three Hudson river shads have appeared as yet; they are a week behind time. North Carolina shad are considered finer in flavor than those from Delaware river. The roe-shad cost 75 cents, and bucks 40 cents. Pompano are just in market costing 50 cents a pound. There are a few Spanish mackerel at 75 cents a pound. There is a glut of large red snappers which has brought down the price to 8 cents a pound; small fish of this sort being 15 cents a pound. Fresh mackerel are expected every day. Smelt and terrapin are gradually declining both in supply and demand. The former are 121⁄2 and 15 cents a pound; the latter of selected size bring 50 cents a dozen. Lobsters are somewhat more plentiful than they have been and are 16 cents a pound. Halibut is 20 cents a pound, and chicken halibut is 25 cents a pound. Extra large striped bass cost 15 cents a pound; family boiling sizes bring 18 cents a pound. Live cod and haddock are 6 cents a pound. Oregon salmon is 25 and 30 cents, and frozen Restigouche salmon costs 25 cents a pound. Turbot are 15 cents a pound. Sheepshead are 20 cents a pound. White perch cost 10 and 15 cents a pound. Eels are 18 cents and flounders are 8 cents a pound. Frozen Spanish mackerel costs 35 cents a pound. Frost fish are 6 cents, blue fish frozen bring 18 cents, wall-eyed pike also 18 cents. White fish 15 cents, and salmon trout 10 cents a pound. Pickerel are 18 cents a pound. Green turtle are fairly plentiful and 22 cents a pound. Shrimp cost $1.50 a gallon. Scallops are $2 a gallon. Clay fish are $2.50 a hundred and prauns $2 a gallon. Picked crabmeat is 45 cents pound. Hard-shell crabs bring $3.50 a hundred. Codfish tongues @ and sounds are 15 cents a pound. SALTED AND SMOKED FISH. There is a full quantity of Oregon smoked salmon on the benches at 60 cents a pound. This is cured by a quick process, so that the luxury of "new" salmon may be had the greater part of the time. Large fat mackerel continue scarce, and are 25 cents a pound. English bloaters, spratts, and kippered herring are abundant at unchanged prices. MEATS. Although choice beef and mutton have advanced at wholesale, butchers endeavor to keep retail rates standard. Spring lamb has declined in price; the quality is hardly satisfactory. It is the same with veal, which is not as yet prime. Fillet beef is 60 cents a pound; there is no waste in bone and fat in this tenderloin; every bit of it is a sweet morsel. A tenderloin of beef weighs from 4 to 10 pounds. Rib-roasting pieces of first quality are 20 cents a pound. Round bone steak costs from 16 to 18 cents, and rump beef from 13 to 15 cents a pound. Corned beef costs from 10 to 15 cents a pound, ascending to cut. Loin veal brings 24 cents a pound, leg veal 22 cents, breast veal 15 cents, and veal cutlet 28 cents a pound. Calves' heads are 60 cents each, calves' livers are 75 cents each, and calves' feet are 40 cents a set. Sweetbreads cost 15, 25 and 35 cents each. Mutton is 12 and 13 cents a pound. Hindquarter of mutton is 16 and 18 cents a pound. Forequarter is 12 and 13 cents a pound. Back chops are 20 cents, leg mutton is 16 and 18 cents, and English saddle is 22 cents a pound. Shoulder-of-mutton is 8 cents. English and French mutton chops are 25 cents a pound, and mutton kidneys are 5 cents each. Hindquarter of winter lamb is 18 cents, forequarter is 14 cents, rack chops are 25 cents, and leg lamb is 18 cents a pound. Shoulder lamb is 10 cents, breast 8 cents, and rib and loin chops are 25 cents a pound. Loin pork is 12 cents a pound. Pork tenderloins are 18 cents a pound, and roasting pigs are $2.50 and $3. POULTRY AND GAME. There is an excellent supply of prime poultry from Vermont, New Jersey, and Philadelphia. One-pound spring chickens are more bony and less plump than the incubated broilers which are at present more satisfactory than they have been before. Both these and "spring chickens" for broiling are $1.50 a pair. Philadelphia roasting chickens cost 22 cents a pound. Long Island roasting chickens are 18 cents a pound. Large Philadelphia spring chickens cost $1.75 a pair. Large spring Long Island chickens are $1.50 a pair, and smaller ones are $1.25 a pair. Maryland chickens are extremely sweet flavored for broiling, and cost $1 a pair. Stewing chickens are 12 cents, scalded fowls are 14 cents, and Bucks' County fowls are 16 cents a pound. Capons bring 30 cents a pound. Western turkeys cost 15 cents, extra turkeys 18 cents, Rhode Island turkeys 20 cents, and mutton turkeys 22 cents a pound. Ducklings, ducks, and mongrel ducks are 20 cents a pound. Goslings and mongrel geese are 20 cents, and geese are 15 cents a pound. Wild turkeys are 23 and 25 cents a pound. Large squabs cost 40 cents each, and small, dark ones are 25 cents. Wild pigeons bring $2.50 a dozen. Domestic ones are $3. English snipe sell for 20 cents each. New Jersey snipe are 30 cents each. Corn plover cost $1.25 a dozen. Small snipe, reed birds, rice birds, and small birds are 75 cents a dozen; corn snipe are $1 a dozen. English pheasants bring $3.50 a brace. Wild geese are $1 each. Wild swans are $1.50 each. This is the last month for the sale of wild ducks. Canvas back ducks bring $3.50 a brace, and read-heads $2. These are from Havre de Grace the supply being exhausted from Virginia. Brant ducks cost $1.50 a brace. Mallards $1, and teal ducks 872 cents. Gray ducks and widgeons cost 75 cents, broad-bill and black-heads 621⁄2 cents, and dippers 50 cents a brace. BUTTER AND EGGS. Farmers are Fine Western butter arrives only in small quantities. making but little, and the large creameries are not yet in operation. Elgin creamery butter costs from 30 to 34 cents a pound by the tub. By the State butter is from 30 to 35 cents a pound it brings from 35 to 38 cents. pound. Philadelphia roll butter costs 45 cents a pound. Unsalted butter has declined to 60 cents a pound. Cooking butter costs from 12 to 20 cents a pound. The country market is glutted with eggs. Fresh eggs are 14 cents a dozen. Long Island eggs are 16 cents, White Leghorn eggs 20 cents, and Duck eggs are 33 cents a dozen. Turkey eggs and goose eggs are $1 a dozen. VEGETABLES. New beets from lower New Jersey cost 18 cents for a bunch of five with long tops, useful for "greens." New onions in bunches of 30, bring 10 cents. Bermuda onions are down to 20 cents a quart. They are very small as yet. Spinach is 20 cents a half peck. Brussels sprouts are 25 cents a quart for domestic, and 60 cents a quart for those imported. Celery is nearly exhausted and 20 cents a bunch. Charleston asparagus is 75 cents a bunch. Mushrooms are 60 cents a pound. Bermuda potatoes are 75 cents a half peck. Green peas are $1 a half peck. Southern beans are 50 cents a quart. Hot-house cucumbers are 30 and 35 cents each. Florida tomatoes bring 40 cents a quart. Hot-house cauliflowers cost 50 cents each. Radishes are 5 cents a bunch. Water cresses are 10 cents a quart. Romaine lettuce brings 10 cents a head. Green okra is 60 cents a hundred. White onions have fallen from $6 a barrel to $2.75. Magnum Bonum Scotch potatoes are the best of the old potatoes. They cost from $2 to $2.25 a bag. Cranberries are abundant at 8 and 10 cents a quart. Parsnips and carrots bring 20 cents a dozen. HOME-MADE AND IMPORTED PICKLES. The new home-made Sauer Kraut now offered in market at 10 cents a quart is considered more excellent than that imported. Stuffed peppers bound about with cabbage, cauliflowers and string beans, are 5 and 10 cents each. Mixed pickles are 20 cents a quart. Pickled onions are 30 gherkins cost 30 cents a quart. Pickled scallops are 50 cents a quart. cents a quart. Cucumbers pickled are 10 cents a dozen. West India Chow Chow is 20 cents a quart. Olives cost from $1.25 to $1.50 a gallon. FRUIT AND NUTS. Florida strawberries are sold at $1 a quart; hot-house berries cost $5 a quart; most of the Florida fruit arriving has been chilled. Selected boxes of Indian River oranges cost $5.50; they are 75 cents a dozen; an indifferent quality of fruit may be bought for $1.50 and $2 a box; old Jamaica oranges cost $8 a barrel and 50 cents a dozen. Valencia oranges cost $7.50 a case, containing 420 oranges. Lemons are $3.50 and $4.50 a box and 20 and 30 cents a dozen. Fine grape fruit is scarce at $1 a dozen and $5 a box. Porta Rico cocoanuts are 60 cents a dozen; those from San Blas, esteemed better, are 75 cents a dozen. Apples hold out satisfactorily; Baldwins and Greenings sell for $2 a barrel. Maple sugar costs 18 and 20 cents a pound. New Brazil nuts are just in market, they are 15 cents a pound; Hickory nuts are exceedingly scarce and $2.50 a bushel; Pecan nuts cost 15 and 20 cents a pound; Filberts are 15 cents a pound; Grenoble and Naples walnuts are 15 cents a pound. Sapodilles are $r a dozen. California pears cost from $1.50 to $3 a dozen. Red Bananas are 50 cents a dozen, and yellow ones cost from 30 to 40 cents a dozen. A FAMILY JOURNAL. Conducted in the Interests of the Higher Life of the Household. Title Copyright 1884. Contents Copyright 1886. Exchanges are invited to extract, on giving proper credit. VOLUME 2, No. 13. HOLYOKE, MASS. Original in GOOD HOUSEKEEPING. TEN DOLLARS ENOUGH. KEEPING HOUSE WELL ON TEN DOLLARS A WEEK. MAY 1, 1886. HOW IT HAS ढ HE next morning, bright and early, Molly came down stairs. She was going to help get breakfast, as she always did whenever she had any dish new to Marta. Two or three times a week the breakfast came out of the dinner of the day before, and the stock she generally had on hand, made such warmed over dishes very different from the flavorless ones they too often are. For this reason alone she would have considered it cheap to buy a small soup bone once a week, even if she had needed no soup, but every little drop, even half a gill, of soup that might be left was saved, and here Marta's German training came in. Whatever she lacked in other ways, she had none of the disdain of economy, confounding it with stinginess, so common with untrained servants. Every bit of fat was put aside to try out once a week, every teaspoonful of gravy or soup saved, and all bones put in one crock to be twice a week boiled down. When there was not likely to be much left from dinner Molly fell back on kidneys or ham and eggs for breakfast; once a week there was always fish in some form. This morning there was a little mutton on the bone, just enough for mince or fritters; there was, also, quite a piece of fish. She had bought it with that calculation, so the mutton was left for another day. Harry did not like codfish balls of salt cod, but delighted in them from fresh, and, as once boiled it would keep a week, she had intended to have them twice. Her visitors, however, had changed that programme, but she had more than enough for breakfast. As she was in the kitchen herself, too, she decided to make hominy muffins, there being a cup of cold hominy. As the frying fat would take half an hour to get hot enough, Marta had been told over night to put it on the range (covered to keep in the fumes) soon after the fire was lighted. Molly drew it forward that it might be ready by the time she was so herself. She set Marta to mash the hominy fine with a fork, then to add to one cup of it a cup of corn meal, half a cup of milk and two teaspoonfuls of butter melted, two teaspoonfuls of sugar, one egg and one teaspoonful of baking powder, and when beaten long and hard, to be put into gem pans and baked. While Marta was doing this, she, herself, flaked the cold fish quite fine and called Marta's attention to the fact that she used the remaining sauce to moisten it. "If I had not this sauce, I should make just enough stiff white sauce to moisten the whole, but this is even better, and as there is egg in it I need use only one more." To a cup of flaked fish and sauce, of which there was two good tablespoonfuls, she put one beaten egg; this made it into a stiff batter or mush that would not run, but drop from a spoon. She seasoned it with pepper, a very little salt, and then dipping a tablespoon in flour, dropped large spoonfuls of it in the fat, which was hot enough for croquettes. In two minutes they were round and light as puffs, and beautifully brown. Knowing Marta might have to make them some time without having any sauce, Molly wrote the recipe and gave it to her. One cup of flaked fish, one tablespoonful of butter, one small one of flour and one gill of milk; melt butter and flour together, let them cook a few seconds, pour to them a gill of boiling milk, stir well over the fire till the mixture leaves the sides of the saucepan, then it is done. Mix the fish with it, add two well beaten eggs, and fry in spoonfuls in boiling lard. Harry called these glorified fish balls. "In fact, Molly, they deserve some much more high toned name." "Yes, but people who like the usual codfish balls, and they are the large majority, would not like these." "Another reason for not calling them fish balls, but I am one of the minority who do not like our Columbian dainty in its orthodox form, but even minorities have tastes and some right to have them considered." We'll dub these "minority fish balls" if you will have no more fanciful name. And "minority fish balls" they have become in that family. For dinner there was to be clear soup with royal custard, the stock for which had been made for bean soup, and only a pint used Molly usually made two quarts at a time from a three pound soup bone, which served twice for soup and left a pint for gravies, sauce, etc. A pint and a half at each meal was ample, as neither Harry or herself took half a pint, and half usu ally found its way out to Marta, who straightway made it thick with bread and any vegetables there were; she did not approve of straining it. To make a change, Molly intended to have in it royal custard, which would make it Consommé á la Royale. "Marta, we are coming to the end of our eggs. I must have extra ones. Mrs. Lennox's man comes to-day; you run over and ask her to please send him to me." When Marta returned she told her to beat one egg, then mix it with half a gill of the cold stock, and as there was no gill measure (something Molly had resolved to get, but had forgotten, though she could have better done without the half pint), and the quantity must be so exact, she measured half a pint of water, and divided it in four, put the fourth part in a glass and marked it, then threw out the water, filled up to the mark with stock. It made about four tablespoonfuls. Molly looked about for something smaller than a cup, and found a little Liebig's "extract of meat" jar; this she buttered. The beaten egg and half gill of soup, with a pinch of salt, were mixed and poured into it, then a piece of paper was tied over it, a small saucepan of water put over the fire, and when it was quite boiling the jar was placed in it, the water reaching to the height of the custard, but without danger of boiling into it. The saucepan was then drawn aside so that the water might only simmer; if it should boil the custard would be spoilt. It was left for twelve minutes, and when taken out was quite ' firm. When cold the custard was cut into diamonds. "When you have the soup hot, to-night, throw these diamonds into it, Marta." "I don't suppose," thought Molly, "any one ever made quite so small a quantity of savory custard before, yet more would be waste; we should not need it." At market she found a fine pair of sweetbreads, one of the dainties her butcher was not fashionable enough to charge a fancy price for, and, indeed, she found thirty cents a pair an outside price in Greenfield; these were twenty-five, however, and had they been as small as they sometimes are, she would not have bought them, but they were large and white. As soon as they came they were put into salt and water and an hour later into boiling water, and parboiled for fifteen minutes and cold water poured over them. All gristle and skin was now removed, and one cut into small pieces. An hour before dinner the remains of the fricasseed fowl were brought out. Less than half had been eaten. There remained a wing, part of breast, a leg and the back and side bones. Molly cut the drumstick off, laid it with the side bones for a grill for breakfast,-it would help out the minced mutton; the rest, which were nice joints, she laid, covered with sauce as they were, in a plate, and told Marta to beat an egg, dip them in it, taking care every part was covered, then to lay them in abundance of cracker crumbs, pat them gently and fry them just like breaded chops. Meantime she had gathered the sauce from the chicken, which, by her direction, had been poured over it when the dish was changed, and put it into a small saucepan with a gill of stock, then the pieces of sweetbread, and the saucepan put where it would simmer. She then cut circles from slices of stale bread, half an inch thick, each circle cut in half to form canopées, she dipped each in milk, and then laid in flour, they were well covered with it and left in it. "Marta, when you fry the chicken, drop these pieces of bread in the pot. Be sure to shake off all superfluous flour, handle them gently for fear of breaking, and let them fry pale brown. Be careful for the first minute after they are in, they will sputter, as they are wet. Lay them round the sweetbreads when you take them up." Marta had already sliced some tomatoes; these were laid in a dish and bread crumbs, bits of butter and pepper and salt sprinked over each layer,—on the top more crumbs and tiny bits of butter thickly strewed, then the dish was put to bake for half an hour. "Marta, a few minutes before taking up the sweetbreads, stir into the gravy a small teaspoonful of white thickening. I see it will not be thick enough with the fricassee sauce. Now, you have potatoes on, tomatoes in the oven, your frying kettle back of the stove, soup ready to heat up five minutes before dinner, chicken ready crumbed, and I will make a vanilla soufflée." Gouffe's recipe for vanilla soufflée was as follows, Molly using only a third of the original, which calls for a quart of milk: One-third of a quart of milk (not quite three gills), two tablespoons of flour, two of sugar, a teaspoonful of vanilla extract, a pinch of salt. Mix the flour with part of milk, set the rest to boil; when it boils, mix both together as you would corn starch; if by chance it is not smooth, strain it, return to fire, stirring well take it off when it boils, put to it the yolks of two eggs, and beat very well, then add the whites, beaten till you can turn the dish over without their slipping. The whites must be stirred in with greatest gentleness,-any quick stirring will cause them to liquify and spoil your soufflée; when the whites are blended, bake in a buttered dish twenty minutes. Molly prepared it and told Marta to put it in the oven when she put the soup on to get hot, that they might have about finished dinner when it was done, but it was better to wait for the soufflée, than the soufflée for them, for waiting means spoiling it. Molly made some hard sauce, which she flavored with wine, and then left the dinner to Marta. When Harry came home his face showed he had something pleasant to say. "Well, dear," he said as soon as he was ready for dinner, "you've done it, and no mistake." "You've captured my father." "Oh, Harry! what do you mean?" "He came into my office to-day, and told me had enjoyed himself out here very much, and he was good enough to add that his opinion of me had not changed in the least, that I had been as wrong headed as possible, and that if I had chanced to pick up a pearl instead of a pebble, no thanks to my own wisdom. I couldn't agree, and told him I knew all along you were a jewel, but he had the best of me for he said:" "Rubbish, sir! You didn't know that she could boil an egg or sew a button on; no boy in love ever asks that! and you might have been a pretty miserable pair!" "And it's quite true, Molly. If you could not have mended your own clothes, and I knew it, I should have married just the same, but I'm glad to have a fortune in my wife, and so I told the dad." "Well, is that all he said?" asked Molly, her cheeks flushed with pleasure, her eyes dancing." "Oh, dear, no, he didn't begin that way. He began by asking me how I expected to meet my quarter's bills. I told him there would be none. At first he could not believe me, and I really believe he had come to give me a cheque to get us out of the need he thought we were likely to be in, but when I told him all, and showed him your first month's accounts-stop a minute" (Molly made a dart forward to her desk). "I abstracted that first month's figuring, my dear, and have it in my pocket, and it will remain there; that is my property, my trophy. Well, when I showed that, and told him that I, with my little income, lived just as well as he did, he was conquered.” "How does she do it?" he asked, and then I had to tell him that you put your time and thought to the little money and doubled its value." head was turned away and her eyes running over with happy "Oh, Harry! how could you exaggerate so," but Molly's tears. How well was she repaid for the work she had taken such pleasure in? Every tone of her husband's voice revealed his pride in her, and his appreciation, veiled though it was by ing that had made it all so easy to her. his gay, bantering manners, and she was grateful for the train CHAPTER XXXI. A SURPRISE-A BOILED DINNER-DRESDEN PATTIES-OYSTERS AND BROWN BUTTER-"OLD ENGLISH" FRITTERS. When Molly returned from her walk to the depot with Harry, she found on the back stoop a barrel and a packing case that had come by express. The barrel she quickly saw was apples, the packing case was as yet a mystery, but it did not long remain so. Molly was not frightened of a hammer, and between her and Marta the top was soon wrenched off, and then she saw it was full of treasures. A dozen pots of raspberry jam, the same of currant jelly, English pickled walnuts and French canned peas and mushrooms, and boned chicken enough to last her the winter, a jar of Canton ginger and one of French plums met Molly's wondering eyes. What treasures for a young housekeeper! Of course they could only come from Harry's parents. Had they sent her a present for herself she would have resented it, considering how they had looked down on her, but this gift she could take pleasure in, for it was as much for Harry as for her, and only such things as would be very pleasant and useful, but were not necessaries. Her housewifely mind was already revelling in the sight of a well stocked store-room. She had found a letter from Mrs. Welles, at the post-office, which she had waited to read till she could do so at home, and enjoy it, for her friend was a clever and voluminous correspondent. Next Monday, dear Molly, if convenient, I shall leave New York for Greenfield. Mr. Welles says you are doing a rash thing to invite me, that I am primed and double loaded and warranted to go off at any moment, for he has heard me the last month saying of every new thing ("thing" always being "dish" with me), "Molly and I will do that together when I get there." If you can, imagine how I ache to get away from this hotel and into a house of my own, with a kitchen and a range. Never, never again will I consent to be a homeless hotel waif. However, in two weeks our house will be our own again, etc., etc. Molly smiled over her friend's letter, she knew her so well. How pleasant it would be to have her in her own house! Charlotte Welles was an English woman five years older than Molly, who had known her long before her marriage to the rich banker, Mr. Welles. When Molly and her mother were living in London in very economical lodgings at South Kensington, they had become acquainted with Mrs. Morris and her handsome daughter, who at first they took to be an art student at South Kensington. Charlotte had laughed merrily at the mistake. "No, indeed, I'm a cooking student." Then she had told Molly and her mother how it was that being certain she would have to earn her living, and though generally clever, having no special talent for anything. She had chosen her career. "As for being a governess I have neither patience nor meekness nor ability enough, and as cooking is just now coming to be a recognized profession for women who are not of the working class; I decided on that. I don't find many ladies among the thoroughgoing students like myself, but I do see that no profession offers greater rewards to a lady, perhaps for that very reason—so I am qualifying myself to be a teacher." Molly's mother, invalid as she was, had taught her daughter more than most girls know of housekeeping, and her own tastes leaned that way, but no doubt her acquaintance with Charlotte Morris confirmed it; she went with her sometimes to the demonstrations and worked with her at home. When the latter left the school a medallist and went to Liverpool to lecture, Molly and her mother had gone to the south of France for the health of the latter, and there they heard of Charlotte's success, how her grace and culture (and perhaps her beauty) made her much in request at ladies' colleges and schools, and of the public lectures she gave. But her career was cut short before it was well begun, by her engagement to an American banker of wealth, an engagement speedily followed by marriage, and it was through Mrs. Welles that, after her mother's death, on returning to her native country, Molly found the position as governess she had held up to her marriage with Harry Bishop. Several months before Molly came to Greenfield Mr. and Mrs. Welles had let their house and gone to England for a trip, but returned two months before the tenant's term was up and had been living at one of the best hotels since. True to her old instincts Mrs. Wells attended all the best cooking lectures in whatever city she might be, and after Molly's marriage they had gone together to cooking school and practiced at her house, which had been of incalculable service to Molly. Since her return to America they have not met. Needless to say she looked forward to her visit with heartfelt pleasure, for she felt to her acquaintance she owed very much. And how these good things had come just in time! To-day they were to have a regular boiled dinner. German soup made from the half leg of mutton boiled, and an egg beaten in it, the same as she had shown Mrs. Lennox how to make, and the mutton with caper sauce, mashed turnips and moulded potatoes, macaroni cheese and pudding. This dinner Marta could cook with written instructions, all but the pudding, and Molly, now she had jam meant should be an old-fashioned English jam roly-poly. The written instructions were as follows: At five o'clock put the half leg of mutton into boiling water, only enough to cover it, put with it one carrot cut, one turnip, one onion, and when it has boiled very slowly half an hour, put in a very scant teaspoonful of salt, also boil some macaroni. Put the turnips, cut into strips on the fire in boiling water at half past five, also the potatoes. Let the turnips boil fast, the potatoes slowly. Make three gills of white sauce instead of half a pint, never forgetting when you increase the milk, also to increase butter and flour in same proportion, then when the macaroni is tender put a layer of it in a small dish, pour over it a tablespoonful of white sauce, and the same of grated cheese with pepper and salt, then another layer of macaroni, more white sauce, cheese and seasoning, and over all strew bread crumbs and bits of butter, and bake till brown. in some of the white sauce made for the macaroni, reserving the The turnips strain when tender and let them stew five minutes rest for caper sauce. To make it, add capers in proportion of one good teaspoonful of capers to the half pint, and just as it goes to table stir in a teaspoonful of caper vinegar, if it stands after this it will be apt to curdle. Take up the mutton, put it to keep hot, skim and strain the broth and let it boil down fast till there is only enough for dinner and no more; beat an egg, mix a very little of the broth with it, and put both into the tureen, with a teaspoonful of parsley chopped fine. Let the broth remain off the fire one minute, then pour it to the egg, stirring quickly, then serve it. Molly had a busy morning arranging her store-room, and making a list of what it contained. This list she nailed behind the door, with a pencil attached, so that when anything was used a mark was made against it. In this way when any article was nearly out, she would be reminded to replace it. It was not so necessary perhaps, with a girl as careful as Marta, or in her small family as in a larger one, but it had been her mother's way, and she followed it. She could then keep track of everything at a glance. One hour and a half before dinner Molly put on a saucepan of water to boil, and then chopped six ounces of beef kidney suet, very fine, which she mixed with half a pound of flour, and a pinch of salt. She made a hole in the centre of the mixture, and poured in enough cold water to make a stiff firm paste (not so stiff as to be hard to roll out,) it was handled as little as possible, only worked enough to keep it together. It was rolled out once to a sheet half an inch thick, then spread with raspberry jam which was not allowed to come within an inch of the edge all round, the edge was |