ey had not
been attended to first of all.

"The mistress always did them herself," the cook said; and Ella supposed
it was her duty to do the same. These various duties occupied most of
the morning, and the afternoon was spent in her aunt's room, while the
nurse rested, and prepared for the night's watch.

The arranging of meals was Ella's greatest difficulty at first, but she
managed it more easily than she expected, for Bertha generally had
something to suggest for her own and the kitchen meals, and the nurse
always knew what to advise for her patient. Some of the dishes she
ordered seemed to Ella anything but appetising; one especially, suet and
milk, she thought sounded absolutely nasty, though the nurse assured her
it was very light and wonderfully nourishing; and, indeed, when at last
Ella was persuaded to taste it, she had to acknowledge that if she had
not known what it was she really would not have disliked it. The nurse
generally prepared this herself, as she said all depended on the care in
making. She put a 1/4lb. of suet in a pint of milk, and simmered it
gently, stirring frequently, till the milk was as thick as good cream.
She then strained it carefully, and flavoured it with almond or lemon,
which so effectually disguised the taste of the suet in it, that it
became a favourite dish with Mrs. Wilson.

Coffee jelly was another dish which nurse introduced to vary the too
constant beef-tea, and which had the advantage of being very quickly and
easily prepared. She made a cup full of strong coffee, strained out the
grounds very carefully, and added as much sugar and milk as though for
drinking hot, and enough isinglass to stiffen it, and either left it in
the cup or poured it into a mould, and when cold it was ready to turn
out and serve as a jelly. This was only given occasionally, as it was
not considered very strengthening; but nurse found it useful to make a
variety.

Ella expected a great quantity of arrowroot would be used; indeed, that
was her one idea in regard to invalid diet, but the doctor did not care
for it, and never ordered it.

"It is no use," he said, when she once suggested it, "unless you add
nourishing things to it; it is nearly all starch, and there is nothing
in it that could sustain life by itself. Common wheaten flour is far
more valuable, and either that or corn flour should always be used in
preference to arrowroot when it is important to get as much nourishment
as possible."