o, then turned them out. Two or
three stuck fast, and broke: the rest were a perfect success. She was
delighted beyond measure. They had no tea or coffee, but they gathered
around the table, and enjoyed the meal very heartily. Sylvie desired
them to ask any questions they liked; and by the time they were through,
their awe of Miss Morgan had quite vanished.

Afterward followed dish-washing. This was made quite a science, as well.
They had hardly finished when Mrs. Miles and a neighbor came in, and
through the course of the afternoon the numbers doubled. Mary begged
that they might make some muffins to take home: Miss Morgan assented,
and the girls had quite a gay time. But the oven was not precisely
right.

"Open the draughts a little. Although not so hot, the oven is very
steady now. Close the draughts in five minutes."

Mary forgot, and the result was that some at one end were a little
burned.

"Why, they're elegant!" exclaimed Mrs. Miles. "And what a cheap, hearty
supper they'd make, when one has three hungry boys to feed! Mrs. Stixon,
now, was thinking you'd go into all the fancy branches. I didn't know
ladies ever"--and Mrs. Miles paused suddenly, her face scarlet.

"Ever had occasion to practise economy!" cried Sylvie with her piquant
smile. "They do a great deal of it, Mrs. Miles. My aunt would no sooner
think of being wasteful in her kitchen than she would of wearing her
velvet dress out on a rainy day. There is a neat, pretty, tasteful
method about these things, that is as much of an art in its way as
painting a picture, and in some respects a more important one, for the
health of the body depends upon well-cooked food."

"Since Kitty's nothing much to do, I mean to have her come every time.
I'm sure you ladies are very good to take so much pains."

The other officers dropped in. The cost of the materials used was
ascertained, minutes of the session made, and a recipe for corn-muffins
given to each girl. It was decided to attempt biscuit on the following
Tuesday, and on the next meeting, bread. Then the fire was pretty well
poked out, the stove-lids raised, and the class went home in an
extremely interested spirit.

Just as Sylvie and Miss Morgan had turned the corner, they caught sight
of Dr. Maverick, who crossed the street to speak. Sylvie described their
day with a few graphic touches, interspersed with much genuine mirth.

"Some people were afraid to come," said he. "Before a month you will
have