Mother Meg

she told Jem to stop at their neighbour's door

g her baby in her arms, a roll of mending in

her with a b

came early, because the earlier I get to it

u bake it i

so glad it is not a kitchener, because the

in my oven to make it wor

d bake it for you, he thinks, for nothing, if you made the arrangement to buy your f

ome large tins,"

omewhere," said Meg; "but anyway in a week

?" asked

, and he says you would save eight

ed Mrs. Blunt; "it would buy us a dea

me crushed salt into it. "See, Mrs. Blunt, to my five pounds of flour I put five h

ut the water in ye

ow I pour this on the yeast and mix it well; now I make a hole in my flour and pour in my yeast and th

g to see Meg's clean hand going round and round, each time

long time,"

over this part the next will take less

in the rest of the flour, which stood up round the sides as a sort of wall; and as she kn

all smooth, and when it is i

the oven at once?

to more than twice as high as it is now before it is ready. You will have

long time getting it right

would soon know; and if you like to try it,

Meg turn her dough over as a final act, and cover the pan

clung to her hands, "and when you come up again Pattie shall

r chin over the edge of the pan, absorbed i

," said Mrs. Blunt heartily.

it is good bread you shall h

rs. Blunt, in a v

ire it will not be ready till my husband has gone back to work this afternoon. I can keep it back a little. Will you come up

said Mrs. Blunt

ing up before you wash up your dinner-plates, then you can run down f

uch pleasant things; above all, she seemed to be able to look at everything as coming from

er hand at a saucepan of porridge herself, and succee

nce more set out to

ttle was on the hob, the fire had been made up, and on the ta

tins on the fender to warm; next I cut my dough in half,-look how full of little holes it is! that's what mother at home calls her 'lace,'-and I lift it out on to my board. Here, Pattie, this is a little bit for you. How nice and clean mother has made your hands! Now you'll be able to eat it when it's baked. Now I work and

"I knew as 'twas somewheres. Supposin' you a

plunged the knife several times to the bottom of the t

hour, or whether to put it into the bottom shelf of the oven. If the bottom is not too hot, t

o that?" aske

rest would be heavy. I leave it in the bottom just so long as will allow it to begin to rise, about ten minutes or a quarte

ur; and what's more they've eat i

"When they get used to it, you see if

he knew enough of children by thi

nd drew little Pattie to her knee to hear a story. She told them about the Good Shepherd

ory" in Meg's words. Then when she began to grow fidgety Meg got her to learn th

a cup of early tea with us, while the bread is baking. I do not look at it

d for me, I shall be saved

would be a great help, because a baker's oven is such a

rs. Blunt. "I di

nt ups

there, and I'm going to make the tea. It

hese couple of s

ke up your fire. I couldn't venture to do th

said that, and Mrs.

cheerily: "Well, it's the only thing as s

rience of us old ones," said Mrs

How d'ye do" to her mother-in-law's lodger, while Mrs. Seymour took

y," said Meg, "and a bit of bread and butter

glad you told me. Are y

pot of sunshine that won't hold it al

er curiously, but Meg o

There were the two loaves brown and crusty, with beautiful white ridges peeping out

one?" asked

mother would say. If we took them ou

did not touch it, as she had made it up before th

read and butter, and took out of her cupboard a tin of sardines. "Jem heard what I was going to

nt. "Why, I haven't been out

, just cool enough for her to touch. Come, Pattie, sit on thi

hen they all began. But before Meg tasted hers she took up a couple of thin slice

e sunshine to me?" sai

t if you saw how thin and,

wasn't it Jem as said that you did with yo

said we

thing with you,

by-and-by the bread was done, and ca

judge?" aske

ith her knuckles, and when she heard it sound clear an

f to let the steam off, and when you go you shall take it with you. Whenever you like, I

face looked brighter and happier as she prepared to go back again. Mrs. Seymou

hat text over again?" as

our burden

Pattie. "I 'tan say it-'Jesus

eans just the same, only longer, because she's big. 'Ca