CHAPTER XXX 



MILK 



MOTHER AMBROISINE had just milked the 

 goat for breakfast. While Emile and Jules 

 were crumbling their bread each in a cup of milk, 

 foamy and still warm, Uncle Paul, who takes advan- 

 tage of every occasion for enriching the intelligence 

 of his young nephews with new ideas, thus began 

 the conversation: 



"What a priceless resource we have in milk; what 

 delicious breakfasts with this food so nourishing, so 

 light, so appetizing ! To judge by the reception you 

 are giving it at this moment, you know well how to 

 appreciate its value. ' ' 



"For my part," Emile declared, "I like milk bet- 

 ter than anything else Mother Ambroisine can give 

 us, especially when the bread is toasted a little over 

 the coals." 



"I don't need anything of that sort," said Jules, 

 "to make the milk first-rate." 



"Since you like milk so much, you shall learn 

 something about it; then your breakfast will give 

 you a double benefit, food for the body and food for 

 the mind. 



"Let us speak first of a property the effects of 

 which you have doubtless seen more than once with- 



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