Work together with a tablespoon before the fire one-fourth pound of powdered sugar with one-fourth pound of the best butter until they are well incorporated. Beat up thoroughly four eggs and add these to the sugar and butter. Sift in by degrees one pound of white flour and a grating of nutmeg. Knead this together for some time, cover it with a cloth and set it in a warm place; then cut up the mass into small pieces about the size of an apple, roll them round in the hand to prevent them sticking and then roll out each ball on a floured paste-board to an oval about one-third to one-half inch in thickness. Cut with a floured knife three parallel slits in the middle of each, but not through at the ends, cross the two slips with your fingers and draw up the two sides between. Put your fingers through and drop each wonder into a dish of boiling lard. They will rise as they are done and can then be turned so as to brown them all over equally. Remove them with a fork and lay them on a drainer or folded paper to drain. A slight sprinkling of powdered sugar improves them.