"Perfectly delicious; I wish we could have that to-night. You see you really know how to use what you can have in market if only you think about it. Corn for soup, and tomatoes, eggplant and peaches all in one good dinner, and yet all cheap. Now, cover yourself with glory again in a menu for December. And this time use up some probable left-overs. Let me see. Suppose you had the lamb only the night before and there was a little left of that, and half the corn and sweet potatoes. Add what you need to those, since all of them come in December as well as earlier." This took more time, but presently Dolly read: "Lamb soufflé; sweet potato puff; corn fritters. Oranges. Coffee." "That is a distinctly inferior menu," said Mary severely. "I see you are not ready for a prize yet, unless it's a booby prize. That soufflé of the lamb is quite right, but imagine what a light and trifling meal for a hungry man! Soufflé,--half fluff; corn fritters, and potato puff,--more fluffiness. What should have begun that dinner, Dolly, in December?" "Oh, of course! A heavy bean soup; but I will add that." "Before you do, let me finish my criticisms. Oranges are too light a dessert for a simple meal unless everything else is heavy. With the bean soup you will improve things, but it seems to me you should have either crackers and cheese with the fruit and coffee, or nuts and coffee instead of the oranges." "Oh, well, I can easily rewrite the whole thing. How is this? "Black bean soup. Lamb soufflé; fried sweet potatoes; succotash. Nuts and raisins. Coffee." "Splendid! I could not do better myself. You put dried beans in with the corn, and sliced and fried the sweet potatoes. That is a very good dinner indeed. Now do two menus for January and use up left-overs again." "Corned beef; cabbage; mashed potatoes. Canned string-bean salad. Mince pie and cheese. Coffee." "Dolly, I do think you are crazy! Corned beef and cabbage and mince pie! Do you want your husband to expire in agonies that very same night? Never have mince pie with a heavy meat. I might almost say never have it at all, because it is so hearty it ought to be a meal all by itself. If you ever do have it, put it after the lightest things you can find, and have green salad or apple sauce, or something of the sort, to counteract it." "Well, I'll cut the pie out. But what is the matter with corned beef and cabbage? I thought those went particularly well together." "If you do not cook them in the same pot, but prepare the cabbage as I told you, in such a way that anybody can digest it, even a child or a confirmed dyspeptic, you can have it with any meat. But never cook anything with corned beef, except a slice of onion to season it. As for dessert, what will you have instead of mince pie?" "Oh, canned blueberry tart; eggs and butter are dear in January. You see I do know something." "Very good. Now make a second dinner and use the left-overs of this one."