Date Pudding With Caramel Sauce

Pudding:
Quarter cup butter, half cup molasses, half cup milk, two cups flour, three eggs, half teaspoonful soda, quarter teaspoon each of nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and salt; one pound dates, chopped. Cream butter, add molasses and soda; then beat well; add eggs, well beaten, then add spices and flour alternately with milk; add dates last; pour in buttered mold and steam for two and a half hours.

Sauce:
Put in saucepan half cup sugar and cook until it browns; add 1 cup boiling water. In another pan put butter size of an egg and one tablespoon flour. Mix until flour is well worked into the butter, then put on stove and let it foam up; pour on it the former mixture and beat well. If you wish to have a chocolate caramel sauce, just add two or three tablespoons chocolate.