[Illustration: "Grandificent!" exclaimed Toaster.] "Beg pardon," said the little man, "Please." So Mary Frances read: NO. 2.--BUTTERED TOAST. 1. Spread toasted bread evenly with butter. 2. Pile one slice on top of the other, and cover with a bowl. 3. Place in oven. "That's it! that's what I told you," cried the little fellow. "I'm always right about toast. Can you make the next slice without a word more?" "I think so," said Mary Frances; and she didn't utter a sound until she had taken the second piece out of Toaster. "What a beautiful piece of toast!" exclaimed Toaster. "It's better than the first." [Illustration: "What a beautiful piece of toast!"] "Oh, I don't think----" Mary Frances started. "I know!" snapped the little man. "Don't contradict me about toast! By the way," he asked, "why don't you make it into Milk Toast for your mother? it would be softer, and more palat--palat--" "Pal-a-table," said Mary Frances. [Illustration: Buttered toast.] "Yes," said he, "you know a good deal for a little girl,"--and he began to choke. Mary Frances patted him hard. "A piece of toast?" she asked. "No," he exclaimed in-dig-nant-ly, "a long word always makes me choke. That's why I seldom use them. Now, please read about Milk Toast." "If you know----" sug-gest-ed Mary Frances. "Well, it's more like real grown-up people to have it out of a book," said the little man. "Go on!" And Mary Frances read from her little Cook Book. [Illustration: Cup of milk] NO. 3.--MILK TOAST. 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon flour 1 cup milk ¼ teaspoon salt 3 slices toast 1. Make ready the toast. 2. Heat the milk until smoking hot. 3. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. 4. Throw the flour into the butter. Cook until it bubbles a little, stirring all the time. Take from the fire. 5. Pour 1/3 the milk upon the butter and flour, a little at a time, stirring with the back of a spoon to press out the lumps. 6. Place over fire, and gradually stir in the remaining milk. [Illustration: Measuring Cup & Pitcher] 7. Add the salt. Let boil a minute. 8. Put slices of toast in a heated dish; pour the sauce over and serve hot. All measures are made level with the top of cup or spoon. To measure level spoonful: Fill spoon heaping full, and level it off with the back of a knife. For half spoonful, cut through lengthwise. For quarter spoonful, divide a half spoonful across. A saltspoon is 1/8 teaspoon.