Cream of Tapioca

Put a large slice of ham into a saucepan with one-fourth pound of butter, dust
in one breakfastcupful of flour, and let the whole simmer for a few minutes; then
pour in a little thick soup and stir it until the liquor is quite thick. Pour three quarts
each of milk and good rich stock into a saucepan, strain the thickening into it, and
add a blade of mace, one breakfast cupful of finely chopped onion, half that quantity
each of carrots and turnips, also finely chopped, and finally a trifle more than one
teacupful of tapioca. Boil very gently until the grains of tapioca are quite transparent,
add one teaspoonful of minced parsley, salt and pepper to taste, pour the
soup into a tureen, and serve.