The muffins are also toasted. They must be broken all round the edge as if you were going to split them, then toasted on both sides until the crust will crack under the thumb nail. Rip them open quickly, put a bountiful supply of butter, in small pieces, on the inside of each half; close it and put it in the oven while another is being toasted. When it comes out the butter will be melted. Never attempt to spread them first, or they will be heavy. If the butter has not spread all over, you may gently use a knife to make it even, but without pressure. When each muffin is put together again, spread a little butter on the outer crust, and cut them through the middle.
The essentials are that they should be well toasted, so as to be hot through and crisp outside, then so quickly buttered as not to get cold, and to be served very hot. There is a covered dish on purpose, called a muffineer, but lacking that, a hot bowl should be turned over them to keep them hot.
It is English fashion, for tea, to serve both muffins and crumpets. They are handed round together, a plate of each, some preferring one, some the other. At breakfast, muffins alone are usual. I just say the last to round up the matter, not that I suppose you will care one bit what the English mode of serving is, but I do think, for the sake of our digestion, we should either eat them toasted or let them alone. I send you over my receipt-book, in which I have copied some things that may be useful to both of us. You tell me Mr. Lennox writes out such things for you, and you can keep the book until he has leisure.
Yours sincerely,
Molly Bishop.
The pork hocks had been put on early for the mock brawn, and taken out and boned. The stock was now made, and Molly seasoned and prepared it in accordance with her plan. The pieces of pork, the seasoning, and the best of the beef, cut into pieces about two inches square, and of which there was about twice as much as there was pork, were put into the liquor, heated once together, and then poured into a pan. It looked rather like head cheese. When cold, it turned out in a slab. Part was sent to Mrs. Lennox with an explanation of what it was; part to Mrs. Gibbs, with the rest of the meat made into the usual hash for her; and the remainder was kept for home purposes, for both Mrs. Welles and Marta found it very relishing.
CHAPTER XLI.
THE BABY—CONCLUSION.
It is July, nearly a year after Mr. and Mrs. Bishop began the experiment of keeping house in Mrs. Winfield’s cottage, which has become very dear to them both, although in three months they are to leave it and go into one of their own. So charmed had Mr. Bishop, senior, become with Harry’s home that he had been a frequent visitor during the summer, and sometimes Mrs. Bishop, too, came; but society engagements took her time, and when May came, she fled with her daughters to a fashionable watering-place, and Mr. Bishop, instead of staying as usual in his city house, came out to stay with his son, and went in with him to business daily. The result was that Harry was reinstated in his father’s favor, and it seemed as if the elder gentleman was going to make amends for his past mistake; for he told Harry he would now do what he always had meant to do until he found he was bent on making a fool of himself.
“Not that your luck is anything to your credit,” he persisted; “it’s a mere fluke your getting such a wife as Molly; but you’ll come into the firm as junior at Christmas.”