After a few days or weeks of wrapping candy, or carrying bundles or drawing out bastings, the work, whatever it is, becomes but a mere mechanical repetition.

They may need a little basting, or to be turned over to brown equally.

In her frantic desire to keep them alive, she holds the whip over her own flesh and blood, who have to spend their very babyhood in tying feather-flues or pulling out bastings.

"Spare the rod, and spoil the child," might easily be paraphrased into "Spare the basting, and spoil the meat."