The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-07-30


make dinner of what appeared bare bones,
out of this baroness came forth repast which
and my husband enjoyed as much as when we
began the week with Joint. This very day OF
our difference, occasloned by my petulance,
some such dinner was to be manufactured,
ana, as saw Bertha still in the garden, con-
iectured that she meant to leave me to my fate,
and an hour previously to the dlnner-time |
went into the kitchen, where l was civilly in
formed that the dinner was all arranged. and
would be ready in tune. My temper led me to
believe that this time the meal would be
a failure. What could be made of few scraps
of meat sticking to a mutton bone? Bridget
had asked me Tor a shilling to pay for something
Mrs. Chapman bad ordered; but what was thus
sum to do in finding provision for four persons
dinners? To my astonishment came, first, a
pair oi s0les, which we're not so very small, and
oil which some was lett for Bridget. Then came
dish of what looked very like Tissoles, only
they were EGG shaped, and somewhat larger than
egg; these were savory, and there was plenti-
tul supply, and they were accompanied by dish
OF nicely mashed and Drowned potatoes. To this
fare was added rice pudding. | must confess
to my bad temper quietly oOzng away, though
my curiosity was none the less excited
In the evening, before retiring, went to
Berthas loom, as usually did, ana fearing my
courage would tail me, said at once:-
: Bertha, in all seriousness, am come to ask
you TO give me few rules for my guidance in
housekeeping. find since you have been with
us that our meals cost less, and yet we have
greater comfort; that my husband and children
are IN better health, and that altogether home is
pleasanter. i know you are capable OF guiding
me- Tor you were differently brought up to my
self. My mother did everything-saw to every
thing; she was, and Is, as you know, the sole de-
| pendence Of the house in its management. Your
aunt made you sell-helpful and thus gave you
wealth Tor your lifetime. | am very sorryn |
hastily said, for saw she was about to interrupt
me, "that gave way to temper this morning;
but forgive me, and be my best friend"
Bertha looked at me with her eyes full Of
| tears though smiles dimpIed her cheeks.
"AlillV, will do well. ~ she said, con
my return home / will write all | cannot now
| say. In three weeks Robert Will return, and /
must Tor time bid you farewell. While l
remain let things go on as they have hitherto
! done, and when | get back l will write your
! Rules and send them."
But, Bertha, about the nice dinner to-day;
| how did you manage it? The cost was GER
tainly more than a shilling? ?"
Not much" she replied; 1.-THE soles were
| only siXpence the pair, and then did not give
| the order 10 the tsh-monger who frequently
| calls here Tor orders, but in my walk this morn
| ing met man with a truck, who had plenty
! OF fish, good and cheap. / stopped and puT-
| chased them, he giving me a sheet of paper,
! and l brought them home. Do not look so
| aghast; " hat harm was there in that? 1 saved
| siXpence by the bargain, and injured no one;
| l should do the same always If necessity re-
| quued it, A limit of twenty-seven shillings
| week is not at all suggestive of pride. The po-
tatoes cost threehaltpence. The meat came off
| the bone you despised so yesterday when | as
| serted 1t could be made to do for dinner to-
day.
| "The composition was mystery to me, and
| can get no information from Bridget; so ii you
Will tell me all about that | shall be glad"
| Listen. Every scrap OF meat was taken off
and chopped very fine. then measured it in a
! basin, and took the same quantity of bread
| crumbs and tablespoonful of flour, little
allspce, salt, and half an onion chopped very
| tine indeed. l mixed the bread-crumbs, flour,
| and spice together first, then mixed the meat
| we'll with it, then sprinkled the onion over and
stirred it ali well together then stirred in two
tabe-spoonfuls OF bacon fat If you did not
make Bridget take care of all the fat which drips
| from the bacon, should have been obliged to
| have minced a rasher or two of that expensive
article. With a very little milk l mixed these
| into balls, then pressed them fiat and somewhat
| eeg.shaped; / then rolled each in flour, and
| dropped them one at a time into saucepan of
boiling dripping, trying them each singly."
| "A saucepan of boiling drlpping!" l eX-
claimed why not have fried them in the
frying-ran"
For two reasons. Do you think don1estique
or cook of my experience could do without
| SAUCEPAN? Certainly not. So improvised one
| out OF a small iron saucepan which Bridget
| seemed to have discarded as good for nothing
| but TO boil couple OF eggs in; that was one
| reason. The second was that in your larder
found dripping a scarce article, so that the
quantity which would have filled small frying;
| pan was not te be had, and If sufficient could
have been found it would have been wasted by
| evaporation, and been soon burned up; whereas,
| in the saucepan, as soon as the fat boiled l
| LuTeW Ill DlJ VI WuGu IL Tedully Drowned
| drew The saucepan 10 moderate heat, where,
| however, Its contents continued to boil. | then
dropped in one of my meat eggs, so that it was
| entirely and somewhat deeply, covered with
the lat and as soon as 1t was brown | took
| il up with an egg-slice allowed the tat TO
dram from it, and placed IL on pad of paper
before the fire. so as to allow 1t to be-
come quite dry. After the meat eggs we're all
fried, threw the fat into basin of hot water
and stirred it up well; tomorrow morning this
will be settled In cake on the top OF the water,
which shall take off and lay on some double
paper 10 dry. The impurities the tat has ac-
quiIed in being used Will have sunk to the bot.
tom of the water, and the tat will be ready for
use again. The potatoes were mashed singly
with spoon against the side OF basin, q lttl c
salt and milk were added, and well mixed !
then buttered another basin, pressed the pota.
toes into 1t, set il in the oven for five minutes,
then put an old plate on the top OF the basin.
turned the latter upside down when the pota
toes came in shape on to the plate l scored
them over with a knife. and placed them on q
plate in the oven TO brown.
Now, Mllly, off with you to bed: it's halt
into the middle OF the night; we shall both lose
our hearty Sleep"
''But about the rice pudding?" answered;
''ust tell me how that was made. never liked
| rice before"
ooh, that is a very simple matter. Bridget
bought me quart OF milk, for which she gave
threepence; and excellent milk must say it was.
} took two small pie-dishes, and put into each a
I small tablespoonful; this | poured hot water
on, stirred the rice in It, then drained the water
away, and repeated the process again. By doing
this all the eartbiness, or rawness, which is
always attached to rice and barley is done away
with. l then mixed with the rice in each dish a
desserrspoonful of sugar, and slight sprinkle
OF nutmeg. | mixed pint OF milk with the rice
| in each dish, put a shaving OF butter on the top