"Oh, Father," Mary Frances begged, "won't you come to-morrow? I didn't think you could get away from the store,--and I don't know so very much to cook." "Thank you, Miss Mary Frances, I'll be most happy to lunch with you to-morrow," said Father, in a real so-ci-e-ty tone. [Illustration: "Thank you, Miss Mary Frances."] When Mary Frances went into the kitchen next morning, she said: "I guess I'll make the dessert first; rice pudding is good cold." [Illustration: "It is ex-cel-lent cold."] "It is ex-cel-lent cold," spoke the deep voice of Baking Dish, "es-pec-i-ally if made by NO. 24.--RICE PUDDING. 3 tablespoons rice ¼ cup sugar 1/8 teaspoon salt sprinkling nutmeg 4 cups milk, or 3 cups milk and 1 cup water 1. Pick over the rice, and wash by putting in a strainer and shaking in a pan of water. 2. Butter the baking dish. 3. Stir rice, sugar and salt into the milk. 4. Pour into the baking dish. 5. Sprinkle with nutmeg. 6. Cover with a lid, and bake slowly 2 hours. 7. Uncover and brown ½ hour. NOTE.--Seeded raisins may be added before browning. If desired, a thin narrow shaving of the outside rind of a lemon may be used as flavoring. Put this in the milk with the rice. "Why, thank you, Baking Dish," exclaimed Mary Frances. "Will you kindly say it over slowly? I'll do it then, keeping time with your directions." This he did, and as Mary Frances slipped him into the oven, "I'm sure this will be good," he said; "I can always tell." [Illustration: "I'm sure this will be good"] "I'm very glad," said Mary Frances, gratefully. "Now for the Boiled Mutton," she said. "I guess, Iron Pot, you can tell me about that." [Illustration: Slipped him into the oven.] "Yes, ma'am," said Iron Pot, importantly climbing from the shelf, and eying critically the piece of meat Mary Frances had placed on the table. "That's a pretty nice cut of meat--pretty nice. It will be all right to cook it as I will tell you. But, really, mutton is less greasy if it is boiled long enough before needed to let the gravy cool. Take off the cake of fat which will form on the top when cold. Of course, take the meat out as soon as it is tender, and after 'skimming' the gravy, put it in again to re-heat." "I haven't time!" said Mary Frances, anxiously. "You can put yours in a bowl, and stand the bowl in ice water to cool the liquor quickly, and do the same thing that way, now----" "You give the recipe?" asked Mary Frances. Iron Pot looked pleased, and began: NO. 25.--BOILED MUTTON. About 3 pounds rack of mutton or "yearling." 1. Wipe with a damp cloth. 2. Pour 3 cups boiling water into a large pot. 3. Throw in 2 peeled onions. 4. Put in the meat. Cover. 5. Boil 10 minutes. [Illustration: Stand the bowl in ice water.] [Illustration: Iron Pot looked pleased.]