This was followed by the plan of
buying the materials for food for invalids, which was to be supplied at
a price that just paid the cost. Then little steak puddings and pies
were made, and these commanded a ready sale; excellent soups from cheap
materials were also provided, and for this in winter the demand was
greater than they could supply; and so the work was extended until the
two stoves were fully occupied for three days a week.

Eight girls at a time were instructed in cookery, doing the whole work
under the supervision of the mistress. Two fresh hands came as two left
each week; thus each received a month's teaching. On the first week the
new-comers simply cleaned and washed the utensils, stoves, &c., during
the remaining three weeks they learned to make simple soups, puddings,
and pies, to cook meat and vegetables. The time was short for the
purpose, but the girls were delighted with their lessons, and took the
greatest pride in keeping up the reputation of the school kitchens, and
learned at any rate sufficient to enable them to assist their mothers at
home with such effect, that the pitmen of Stokebridge were astonished at
the variety and improvement of their fare.

CHAPTER XVI.

A NEW LIFE.

Jack Simpson did not forget the advice Mr. Merton had given him about
clothes, and a fortnight after his master had gone to Birmingham Jack
went over on Saturday afternoon, and his kind friend accompanied him to
one of the leading tailors there, and he was measured for two suits of
clothes. He went to other shops and bought such articles as Mr. Merton
recommended--hats, gloves, boots, &c. Mr. Merton smiled to himself at
the grave attention which Jack paid to all he said upon the subject; but
Jack was always earnest in all he undertook, and he had quite
appreciated what his friend had told him as to the advantage of being
dressed so as to excite no attention upon the part of those whom he
would meet at Mr. Merton's.

The following Saturday he went over again, and went again to the
tailor's to try his things on.

"Do you want a dress suit, sir?" the foreman asked with suppressed
merriment.

"What is a dress suit?" Jack said simply. "I am ignorant about these
matters."

"A dress suit," the foreman said, struck with the young fellow's freedom
from all sort of pretence or assumption, "is the dress gentlemen wear of
an evening at dinner parties or other gatherings. This is it," and he
showed Jack an engravin