The first thing that struck us as being wonderfully economical, was the way in which Peggy taught us to use up cold meat bones with very little meat on. First of all, we cut off from the bones every scrap of meat, and set it aside for the time being. Then the bones were chopped into pieces, and put on to boil for four or five hours, with a pint and a half of cold water to each pound of bone. The liquor was then strained and set aside in a large basin until next day, when the fat which had risen to the top was taken off, and a good clear stock remained, which formed the basis of a good soup. To this was added onions, carrots, turnips, a sprig of parsley, pepper, salt, and cloves, together with a little sago, pearl-barley, or rice; and after an hour's gentle boiling, the result was a nourishing, palatable soup.

Of course Peggy took care of the bones, and dis

posed of them to the rag-and-bone merchant, the money received for them being appropriated to the missionary-box.

The scraps of meat which were cut from the bones before boiling, Peggy made into a most delicious pie. I will give you her directions for making

Potato Pie.-Lay the pieces of meat in a piedish; season them with pepper, salt, and a small onion finely chopped. Let the seasoning be well mixed with the meat; then add a tea-cupful of cold water, or better still, some gravy or stock. Then boil about a pound and a half of potatoes; mash them well, with a small piece of dripping and half a tea-cupful of boiling milk. Lay them on the top of the meat in the dish, and shape into a crust with a knife, which should be dipped in boiling water to prevent the potatoes sticking to it. Brown in a hot oven.

There are many other ways of using up scraps of meat, but this used to be our favourite recipe. Gertie spoiled the first potato pie she made by omitting to put salt in the potatoes; and her mistake made Ethel so solicitous on behalf of the salt, that she forgot to put the pepper in her pie. And so we went on with a long catalogue of blunders when making our first attempt at cooking. We often discovered, when it was too late, that brains as well as hands must be exercised in cooking.

I am not going to waste time in relating to you our adventures in the pastry and cake-making department. But have you not heard or read of the leaning tower of Pisa, and the ruins of the Colosseum at Rome? Well, I could tell you of puddings and pies looking just as ready to fall as

that celebrated tower ever did, and cakes whose rotundity and elevation presented as dilapidated a condition as the ruins mentioned above. But time, patience, and perseverance-those patent removers of all obstacles-worked wonders, and it was not very long before we could make what Peggy called respectable-looking pies, puddings, and cakes. I shall give you a few of the simple recipes we used to use, in the hope that you will try them, not being discouraged if you fail to work them out effectually the first time.

Economical Pastry.-1 lb. flour, salt-spoonful of salt, tea-spoonful baking-powder, 6 oz. dripping, enough cold water to mix into a stiff paste. The flour, salt, and baking-powder must be first mixed well together, then the dripping lightly rubbed in with the tips of the fingers, then the water added, until a stiff paste is formed. When rolled out, it is ready for use.

Cornish Pasties.-Take half of the paste you have made as above; roll it out rather thin, and cut it into pieces about nine inches square. Wash, peel, and cut into very small pieces two moderatesized potatoes, mix them with lb. of rather fat meat cut up very small and an onion chopped very finely. Season this mixture with pepper and salt, place a little of it on each of the pieces of paste, wet the edges slightly, close them together well, and bake in a moderate oven for about half an hour. The other half of the paste may be used for pies or tarts.

Plum Cake.-lb. flour, I tea-spoonful bakingpowder, two good table-spoonfuls sugar, 2 oz. dripping, 2 oz. currants, 2 oz. sultanas, 1 oz. candied peel, I egg, a pinch of salt, and enough cold milk to mix the whole into a light moist paste. Mix

the flour, salt, and dripping well together, then add the cleaned currants and sultanas, also the finelyshred peel and the sugar. Then add the bakingpowder and egg, and mix with the milk. Have ready a well-greased tin, pour the mixture into it, and bake at once in a good oven.

Seed Cake may be made in the same manner, by substituting a tea-spoonful of caraway seeds for the currants and sultanas. Three or four drops of essence of lemon will give it a nice flavour.

E. M. G.

LESSON 68.

THINGS PEGGY MADE FOR THE SICK-ROOM.

Gruel.-A dessert-spoonful of oatmeal, mixed with two table-spoonfuls of cold milk, and a pinch of salt. Pour on it half a pint of boiling water, stirring all the time; then put it into the saucepan again, and boil from ten to twenty minutes, according to the fineness or coarseness of the meal. Pour into a basin, sweeten to taste, and add a grating of ginger.

Barley-water.-A good table-spoonful of pearl barley, three pints of water, the thin rind of half a lemon, a tea-spoonful of sugar. Wash the barley, and boil it very slowly in the water for about two hours. Put the lemon rind and sugar into a jug, strain the barley-water into it, stir it well, and allow it to stand till cold.

Apple-water. Three moderate-sized apples, half an ounce of lump sugar, pint of boiling water. Cut the apples into thin slices, put them into a jug with the sugar, and pour on the boiling water.

Serve cold. A tea-spoonful of lemon juice is an improvement.

Beef-tea.-A pound of gravy beef, a pint of cold water, a pinch of salt. Cut the meat into very small pieces, removing all the fat. Put the salt and cold water to it, and allow it to stand twenty minutes. Then pour it into a saman, and boil gently for ten minutes. Strain it, and serve with a

piece of nice crisp toast.

Mutton Broth.-A pound of neck of mutton (the scrag), one quart of cold water, half a salt-spoonful of salt. Put them into a saucepan, cover closely, and simmer for an hour, taking care to remove the scum as it rises. Then pour into a basin, and allow it to stand until cold, when the fat may be easily removed. Return it to the saucepan, and add a dessert-spoonful of pearl-barley. Simmer gently for another hour, and serve hot, with toast or bread. If liked, an onion might be added with the barley.