Wash thoroughly and lay upon hot coals, or in a shallow pan on the top of the stove, the deeper shell downward, until they open wide. Take off the loosened upper shell, carefully, to retain the juice, and lay upon a hot platter, or upon hot plates, a bit of butter upon each steaming oyster, and send at once to table. Pass pepper, salt, and sliced lemon, also pepper sauce, that the eaters may have their choice of seasoning.

Creamed Oysters

One quart of oysters. One cupful of milk, with a tiny pinch of soda dissolved in it. One cupful of oyster liquor. Three ta-blespoonfuls of butter. Two tablespoonfuls of flour. One egg. Juice of half a lemon. Pepper and salt.

Cook the butter and flour together until they bubble ; add the milk and the oyster liquor, and stir until you have a thick sauce. Into this drop the oysters, freed from their liquor. Have ready an egg beaten light in a cup, mix some of the hot sauce with it, turn all back into the saucepan, stir one minute - no longer - and take from the fire. Season with pepper, salt, and lemon-juice. Have ready buttered scallop-shells, fill them with the creamed oysters, sprinkle lightly with crumbs, dot thickly with bits of butter, and brown delicately in a quick oven. Eat very hot.