“I fear my dear mistress is very ill indeed. I don’t think she believes it of herself. At least, she doesn’t wish us to know she believes it. I don’t imagine she will live to return to her old house. I don’t think she could be moved from here. I shouldn’t be surprised myself if the end came at any moment. Mr. and Mrs. Brand have been most kind. My mistress quite looks forward to see them at almost every week’s end.” (_To be continued._) HOUSEHOLD HINTS. TO BOIL AN EGG. _Method._—Have ready a saucepan of boiling water and put in the egg carefully with a spoon, taking care not to break the shell. Boil three minutes and a half for a soft-boiled egg, six minutes for a moderately hard one, and ten minutes for a hard-boiled egg. TO POACH AN EGG. _Method._—Break the egg into a cup, take away the tread, slip the egg quickly and carefully into a pan containing boiling water, holding the cup near to the side of the pan as you put it in; see that the egg is well covered with the boiling water; as soon as the white begins to set, raise the egg on a fish-slice, let the water drain away and slip it on to a small piece of hot buttered toast. BROWN THICKENING. _Method._—Melt a pound of dripping slowly in a large frying-pan and stir in by degrees a pound of flour; let this cook very gently over a slow fire until it is a good dark brown; stir well from time to time and do not let it burn. This will take about an hour to make. It will keep a very long time. BROWNING. _Method._—Put half a pound of brown sugar in an old tin or saucepan and let it burn nearly black over a fire, stir in a gill of boiling water, let it cool, and bottle for use. TO BLANCH BARLEY. _Method._—Put it in a saucepan of cold water, bring to the boil, and throw the water away. TO BOIL RICE. _Method._—Wash the rice well, and cook it in fast boiling water with the lid off for twelve minutes. Pour some cold water into the saucepan, and then drain the rice off on to a sieve. Return to the saucepan, and let it dry well on or near the stove. Shake the saucepan well, and take care that the rice does not burn or stick together. TO MAKE TEA. _Method._—Warm the teapot by pouring in a little boiling water; empty it out and put in the tea, allowing about two teaspoonfuls to every three people, if the number requiring tea be more than three. For two allow three teaspoonfuls. Pour on the boiling water, and let it stand three minutes. [Illustration] “UPS AND DOWNS.” A TRUE STORY OF NEW YORK LIFE. BY N. O. LORIMER. CHAPTER II.