These are the most called-for of any form in which eggs are cooked and there is the widest possible difference between the work of a skilful and unskilful cook in this particular. The fried eggs that are a disgrace to any table are broken as to the yolks before they go in the pan, then they have black grease simmering up all around the edges and running over their surface, they are cooked nearly as hard as leather, they stick to the pan and cannot be turned over and finally when they are forcibly pushed into a dish the same smoky, black grease flows around them like gravy. That it should happen so sometimes is nothing to be remarked, but these lines are prompted by amazement that some will go on frying eggs that way always and habitually and do not seem to know that anything is wrong.

To fry the eggs cleanly and handsomely, keep the small frying pans always rubbed clean, if not bright, and never set them empty upon the range but keep them warm on the bar along the front of it or on a hot shelf or a row of bricks at the back.