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Fourteenth Day: Rhoda

But after all, the back place didn't turn out to be hot enough, so after a part of the muffins were baked, the griddle was set back and the omelette took its place where the fire was best. Then the rest of the muffins were left for Rhoda to bake and send in hot, and the cooks exchanged the kitchen for the breakfast table. "This mutton-stew rather beats Rhoda," observed Mr.

Vernon as he took his second helping, "though I've nothing to say against Rhoda, in a general way. And I don't believe there's any cook out of France can get up a better dish of potatoes than that; eh, Mabel? I always said my daughters should each have a profession, and I don't know but that we shall have to make cooks of them." "Oh, papa," exclaimed Grace in high indignation, "if you're going to do that, I think we'd better not learn any more!" "Oh, I'll throw in a little music and drawing and mathematics and such things, so that you can take your choice. But still, if the worst comes to the worst, you know" "I think 'the worst' will probably be Rhoda's being sick some time or other," said Mrs. Vernon; "and then I'm sure we shall be very glad to have our little daughters take her place."

After breakfast Mrs. King beckoned Mabel aside and asked her if she wouldn't like to make something for dessert all by herself. Of course Mabel said she would, and her aunt gave her this recipe, saying it was an old one of her own mother's.

No. 188-MOTHER'S RICE PUDDING.

One cup rice, ten cups milk; bake five hours. "Why, Aunt Jane, that is the shortest receipt I ever saw," said Mabel. "That's all there is of it," answered her aunt, "except that of course any cook would know that there should be a little salt added-perhaps a teaspoonful. You must wash the rice carefully to get out any specks of dirt in it, put it into a buttered baking-dish with the milk and salt, shut the oven door and forget all about it, if your fire is steady and slow. If the fire is a quick one, the damper has to be turned so as to shut off the heat. In this long, slow process of heating, the watery part of the milk evaporates, and the rich, creamy remainder becomes so incorporated with the rice, that there is no need of butter or eggs. If you want to make it still better, throw in a cupful of raisins, not stoned, but just carefully picked over, after the pudding has been in about half an hour. You may just stir them up in it; it will do no harm." 1 1 "Any sauce with it, Aunt Jane?" " I don't care for sauce with it myself, but you may make some hard sauce from your No. 156 recipe, in case the others should wish for it. It may be made as soon as you have set in the pudding, and then left in the ice-box until dinner-time." "Won't you let me write down some more receipts, aunty?" "Oh yes, a dozen of them if you want them, and the other girls can copy them into their books afterwards. I'll give you some that you can use next winter."

No. 189-APPLE CHARLOTTE.

Butter a deep pie-dish; place a layer of buttered bread (without crust), on the bottom, then a layer of thin slices of apple, pared and cored, grate a little lemon peel on them, and squeeze on a few drops of juice, then a layer of sugar-perhaps two tablespoonfuls-and one tablespoonful of water; then begin with another layer of bread and butter, and so on until the dish is full; cover the top closely with the peel of the apples, to preserve the charlotte from burning; this can be removed when the dish is served, and a little fine sugar sprinkled over the top. Will require from three-quarters of an hour to one hour in baking.