Six little cooks

viuns things that are forgotten, every one thinking them a matter of course. Now, we have reduced gipsying to such a system that our picnics are nearly as well served as our dinner-tables." It is pleasant to be able to say that the good things which our young friends had expended so much labor upon proved very satisfactory. The veal loaf was especially liked, while Grace's ornamented pies and Edith's pretty stuffed eggs were much admired by the young people. There was only one thing that would have pleased them better; they would have liked to do some of the cooking on the spot. " That's all very well for young ladies and gentlemen who want to make a frolic of it," said Aunt Jane, " but we old folks like to rest when we get out into the woods ; we don't want to work. If I have to do that, I'd rather it should be in my own comfortable kitchen." " I can tell you we're very thankful to have such a pleasant excursion as this, any way you like to manage it, Aunt Jane," said Rose, speaking for the rest; and they all agreed with her. NINTH DAY. "Dear me!" said Mrs. Yernon, in a despairing tone, as she saw from her bedroom window a carriage drive up to the door; "there's Mrs. Harvey and her two daughters come in from the country to lunch, and there is not a thing in the house! I told Rhoda she might spend the day out, and we are to have a six o'clock dinner; and as Mr. Yernon wasn't to come to lunch, I thought we would just have a cup of tea and some bread and butter and preserves for lunch. What shall I do? They'll be hungry after their journey." " Just leave it to me," said Mrs. King, whom she addressed. " Lend me the girls to help cook, and let Mary set the table, and you shall have lunch in half an hour." " I know you can do wonders, Jane, but I don't believe you can get up anything with what you'll find in this house!" said Mrs. Yernon. But Mrs. King was already far on her way to the kitchen, where her sister sent the three girls to join her, while she herself descended to the parlor to receive her company. "Not an egg in the house!' said Aunt Jane, after a rapid survey of the pantry. " Mabel, take a dish and run in and asked Mrs. Lane to lend us half a dozen. Tell her it is a case of necessity. I'll look in the cellar and see what the butcher left for dinner. Tomatoes? Why, we're richl Grace, make a mayonnaise dressing instanter. Amy, wipe the tomatoes and pick off the stems, and then cut them up just as we do at home." And Mrs. King herself broke up a cake of chocolate into small pieces, and put it in a saucepan with water over the fire to melt. "Ah, Mabel, you have the eggs! Now break them carefully, whites and yolks separate, and beat them up. Amy, when you have done cutting up the tomatoes, get out a frying-pan and put it over the fire with a tablespoonful of butter, and stir this chocolate every minute or two, to keep it from burning." And in the mean time Mrs. King was rapidly cutting fair, even slices of bread from one of Rhoda's loaves. " Now, girls, the first one that has time, toast this bread as nicely as you know how, and butter each piece on both sides as soon as it is done."