Remove the stones from one quart of cherries, and bring two quarts of water to a boil with a stick of cinnamon, pour in the cherries and let them simmer for 20 or 30 minutes. Add enough sugar to counteract the tart taste and thicken with a little cornstarch. Cool and serve with zwieback. If used for supper on hot days it should be prepared in the morning, and allowed to cool. Beaten whites of eggs with a little sugar may be placed on top. Serve on soup-plates. DRIED CHERRY SOUP. Soak some dried cherries for several hours. Cook with the desired amount of water and a little sugar and cinnamon. Finish as the foregoing. This is excellent for convalescents during the winter. PLUM SOUP. Wash one pound of blue plums and boil with three to four pints of water, a stick of cinnamon and sugar until well done. Thicken with cornstarch, or with sago which has been soaked. Cook 15 to 20 minutes or longer. Run through a colander and add a piece of butter. Cool and serve with zwieback and beaten whites of eggs, if desired. Hot cream may be added in place of butter. BEEF SOUP. No. 1. Select a rump piece, wash thoroughly, put into boiling water, add some salt, and skim. Chop fine some green onions, celery, asparagus, parsley, carrots, turnips, add to the soup; young peas, bay leaves, whole pepper and chopped bacon may be added. Cover tightly, and boil slowly for two or three hours. Then brown several tablespoonsful of flour in the same amount of butter, add to the soup, and boil ten minutes longer. Strain and serve. A glass of Madeira or white wine may be added. BEEF SOUP. No. 2. Prepare like number one. Instead of brown flour, add one-half cup of barley which has been soaked and boiled in a small amount of water for an hour. Then add to the soup, boil all together for an hour or longer, strain and serve. A good addition to boiled beef is a salad of celery root, or apples, or potato dumplings. CLEAR SOUP, WITH RICE. Select some fresh chicken, beef, lamb or several kinds of meat. Wash thoroughly, and put into boiling water, add salt and skim. Flavor with potatoes, onions, or any kind of greens which is most desirable. Boil two or three hours and strain. Boil some rice with salt water in a separate saucepan, bake in the oven until well done. Remove from the fire, add a piece of butter, the yolk of an egg and some grated nutmeg. Stir all well, pour into a dish, serve with the soup like mush and milk. Clear broth beaten up with yolks of several eggs may be served in cups. VEGETABLE SOUP, WITH MEAT.