THE BLACK-FISH. 
185 
Thou hast it, my choice Mary! The small, deep stew- 
pan with its thin cullender or strainer, on which the fish is 
to be lowered to the bottom, that it ntay, when stewed into 
soft delight, bo gently raised again, without injuring its integ- 
rity of form — glows with brightness in front of thee! Thy 
vigorous arm of mottled red, thy round wrist, and small 
compact fingers grasp the sharp pointed knife with which to 
satisfy thyself that not one scale remains around the head, tho 
fins, the tail. 
“ Now ta >' a n< l fins are nicely shortened in their termina- 
tion, not hacked oft. A little salt is thrown over the fish, 
merely to harden, and not sail it, and it lies two hours for 
this purpose. It is then scored, that it may not break when 
it swells, and browned well upon the gridiron : from which 
it is carefully taken up, and laid to repose upon a bed of 
nicely peeled and very fresh mushrooms, daintly spread over 
the strainer. 
“ While the fish was hardening, Mary has had a commu- 
nication from up stairs. An extra bottle of the Chateau of 
twenty-five had been imavailingly opened the day before, to 
tempt a total temporance friend who had arrived from the 
country. Good part of it remains, and at this moment it is 
decanted into the stew-pan ; the freighted strainer descends 
into the wine ; and the fish, entirely immersed in the ame- 
thystine element, regrets no more its loss of life, of liberty, 
and youth. A white onion or two is sliced into rings, that 
fall ns decorations over him ; a few berries of pepper thrown 
m i six cloves ; two blades of mace ; an eclmlot, if you think 
proper ; and cayenne or not, according to your taste. The 
Stew-pan is then covered, and a careful, slow, epicurean sim- 
mer completes tho work.” 
