Do not wash the macaroni. Throw it, broken into pieces of two or three inches, into boiling, well-salted water. Stir or shake it frequently to prevent its adhering to the bottom 1 of the stewpan. The moment it is quite tender pour it into a cullender and shake off all the water. In the mean time melt about two ounces of butter to a half pound of macaroni, and grate a handful of cheese. When the macaroni is well drained, place a little of it in the bottom of the dish in which it is to be served. Pour over it some of the melted butter, and sprinkle over that a little grated cheese. Continue alternate layers of the three ingredients until all the macaroni is in, placing butter and cheese on top. Put the dish in the oven and let it remain three or four minutes, or long enough for the macaroni to soak the butter and cheese. Then take it out, brown the top with a salamander or hot kitchen shovel, and it is ready to serve. It requires about twenty minutes to boil macaroni. You should try to have it done just the moment of serving, otherwise the cheese will cool and harden.