FRUIT CRACKERS.—­Prepare a dough with one cup of cold sweet cream and three cups of Graham flour, knead well, and divide into two portions.  Roll each quite thin.  Spread one thickly with dates or figs seeded and chopped; place the other one on top and press together with the rolling pin.  Cut into squares and bake.  An additional one fourth of a cup of flour will doubtless be needed for dusting the board and kneading.

TABLE TOPICS.

    Behind the nutty loaf is the mill wheel; behind the mill is the
    wheat field; on the wheat field rests the sunlight; above the sun is
    God.—­James Russell Lowell.

Bread forms one of the most important parts of the ration of the German soldier.  In time of peace, the private soldier is supplied day by day with one pound and nine ounces of bread; when fighting for the Fatherland, every man is entitled to a free ration of over two pounds of bread, and field bakery trains and steam ovens for providing the large amount of bread required, form a recognized part of the equipment of the German army.

    The wandering Arab lives almost entirely upon bread, with a few
    dates as a relish.

According to Count Rumford, the Bavarian wood-chopper, one of the most hardy and hard-working men in the world, receives for his weekly rations one large loaf of rye bread and a small quantity of roasted meal.  Of the meal he makes an infusion, to which he adds a little salt, and with the mixture, which he calls burned soup, he eats his rye bread.  No beer, no beef, no other food than that mentioned, and no drink but water; and yet he can do more work and enjoys a better digestion and possesses stronger muscles than the average American or Englishman, with their varied dietary.

The following truthful bit of Scandinavian history well illustrates the influence of habits of frugality upon national character:  “The Danes were approaching, and one of the Swedish bishops asked how many men the province of Dalarna could furnish.

    “‘At least twenty thousand,’ was the reply; ’for the old men are
    just as strong and brave as the young ones.’

    “‘But what do they live upon?’

    “’Upon bread and water.  They take little account of hunger and
    thirst, and when corn is lacking, they make their bread out of tree
    bark.’

“‘Nay,’ said the bishop, ’a people who eat tree bark and drink water, the devil himself could not vanquish!’ and neither were they vanquished.  Their progress was one series of triumphs, till they placed Gustavus Vasa on the throne of Sweden.”

    The word biscuit embodies the process by which this form of bread
    was made from time immemorial down to within the last century. Bis
    (twice), and coctus (cooked), show that they were twice baked.