Living on a Little

nner P

ely bided his time. One morning his wife said that, as she and Dolly would be out most of the day he need not expect a very good dinner that night, so that

ored with a bone and plenty of seasoning, but there was not enough of it for five, unluckily. The meat was a Hamburg steak of moderate size, all ready to put in the dry frying-pan. For vegetables, a half-can of corn was already scalloped with crumbs, to be bro

shuddered. What a company dinner! Insufficient soup, scanty m

welcome she excused herself to put the dinner on. "Hurry, Dolly, and put more plates in the oven to heat, and get o

and make it larger, so it will cover more surface. I'll put vegetables all around it, and it will just fill that big platter and look exactly like a planked porter-house when I'm done with it. But the corn is hopeless; it is far too small an amou

put the bowl on the sideboard and arranged the dessert by it, the crackers, a jar of fancy cheese from the closet in place of the American, and the coffee in the machine with small cups and saucers; she also set out the salad plates. She filled the tumblers, put on bread, and the bread and

for the hot fat; it took only a moment to cook and drain them. The soup was put in the heated

ays held that the soup should be served at the table, and when they were alone this was done; but with guests there was always the possibility of an accident when men's unskilled hands passed filled soup plates from hand to hand. Sometimes in the past they had tri

nes before the carver and have them passed from hand to hand. It was not as elegant as the other way, but it did away with the waiting on the table during the course. So Dolly brought in the large platter of steak and set it down before the carver. The meat was brown on the outside and pink within. A strip of suet representing a bone ran down the middle, and

oven while the plates were warming for dinner. After this third course Dolly removed everything and crumbed the table. Then came the crackers, and the fancy cheese which had taken the place of the plain American variety

with complimentary remarks to their hostess. "You always spoil my nice little practical di

feit?" as

there is dinner enough, and if it really is good enough for the occasion, he has to pay me for my extra trouble. Of course, if I ever fail, I'll have to pay up

at was really a good dinner, and the ki

er had been a cheap one for five, she did not grudge the small amount expended. "But now we must economize in earnest this week," she said as she added up her accounts, "because next week I want to have a real litt

Dolly grumbled rebelliously. "Don't let's ha

y and inexpensively. And you really must do some entertaining in your turn if you do not want

the table?"

waiting, and stays and washes the dishes, and I pay her seventy-five cents for the evening. Sometimes, when I have a little luncheon I do my own waiting, and of course in a surprise-party d

their unmarried brother were asked, making a group of six to sit

of bee

, almond

stuffed; mint jelly

cheese bal

and sherried che

ff

he asked, surveying the pape

to-day, so we won't get too tired to-m

do it once, and I know exactly how. You just

m in cold water; slip off the skins, and dry them and mix them with the half beaten white of an egg-that is, about half the whole white; then you sprinkle them with salt and put them on a tin in the oven and occasionally stir them. They will turn a lovely creamy brown and will be crisp and evenly colored, and you can keep those you do not

he beets,-one bunch of old ones, not the young ones just in market; a can of small American peas; a head of lettuce; a square

tably, and send me a bunch of mint with it all." While she waited for her change she told Dolly about this purchase. "Forequarter of lamb is really the cheapest roast there is. Sometimes even when we are all by ourselves I buy it and make ever so many meals of it. I get a big piece, as much as eight or n

e appetite first,' otherwise the four chops would mak

immings and odds and ends for meat pies

hink you and Dick w

veal and beef and pork, and as the lamb is practically in cold storage at the butcher's, it can wait indefinitely, and when we do have it we live

For the sauce which was to be put on each glass which it was served, a small can of preserved cherries was opened and drained; the j

tting them with a bit of oil to make them smooth, and adding salt and a dash of cayenne; as each one was made it was rolled in grated American cheese and

time in three minutes. The mint jelly was also made: a cup of water was put with the juice of a lemon and heated; when hot, a small bunch of bruised mint was put in and simmered for two minutes; then this was strained and a level tablespoonful of gelatine, dissolved in half a cup of cold water

p quickly. The potatoes were boiled and cut up in a very little thick white sau

now in season and inexpensive. At each place was a pretty plate, which was to remain on till exchanged for a hot one later, and a small array of silver, with a tumbler and napkin. The latter hid a dinner roll, so no bread and bu

as over Dolly conf

a party with so little to 'do' with. Really, we never missed the fish, or the entré

on is that it was as good a dinner and as nice a party as you'd often find, and your sister is about as fine

entertain because they have everything in the world, but our dinner was just as nice as though we had followed in their footsteps and ha

hat matters. Then, too, when we are really living on a little and everybody knows it, either we cannot entertain at all, which means that we cannot accept invitations, or we must do it in a plain way, in keepi

," said her h

nner menu and what it cost in a little dinner-party book which was often

lk and b

b 1

, cheese balls, F

nd salt for

home-

shes, olives,

-

2

bottle of olives cost ten cents; so did the radishes. The Jordan almonds were forty cents a pound, and I got half a pound and have some over for next time. With the flowers, that makes the

some pink tulips at a small florist's, and these they used in making a lovely table. They stuck them one by one into a very shallow dish filled with

e different from

f almon

dishes, sa

cream gravy; new pot

cherry sal

cream with s

ff

s slightly thickened, strained, and at last beaten up well with an egg-beater to make it foamy. The chicken was cut up and the best pieces dipped in batter and

d on each glass was put one fine large strawberry. The next day the remains of the chicken appeared at dinner in the shape of croquettes, with a rice border, and the rest of the

k and alm

ns, tw

s and c

and cher

nd berr

-

2

nuts, olives, pay of the waitress, and a margin

res. "I mean to keep strictly within a four-dollar limit. So ou

the thi

up with

s, radishe

tuffed; fresh mu

hopped nuts; F

berry

ff

er," said Dolly. "No frills, u

er sister. "It provokes me to have to put money on that, yet I will do it at a

, and the delicious stuffing and broiled mushrooms were substantial and good. The salad was lettuce covered with chopped al

p $

l 1

quarter of

dishes, almo

s, dressing,

es

-

2

flowers were the same as before, only red instead of pink tulips

seem quite elegant; broiled mushrooms are certainly food for the gods. It is quite a saving to have an i

sure we can easily make two dinners out of it, and that will save ever so much