The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1879-12-23

30 thefe Is, exclaimed the young
er: "when did she fix thatY What o
vigorous creature She would clean our
whole house In twenty. four hours. Let
us call ia ther. He knows most every
thing. I'll bet he can tell us what all
this means.'
So Mr.. Sequn was brought to look
down on the spectacle In Judge Ma
notes back yard.
1t beats the witches In Hecate all
hollow" said the two girls in chorus,
as the paternal parent entered the room.
After quietly surveying the operations
below moment, he burst out laugh
ing.
Why the woman is making soft
SOAP" he said " that Is all | have seen
my old mother do it fifty times when
was boy on the home farm and that
woman understands her business, too.
declare I'll get her to make up our
ashes. Soft soap is better for hundred
purposes in a family than all your
patent cleaners found at stores"
=" wish you would, father,' said the
younger daughter " for it is first-rate
fun to see her work; but what is she
throwing old bones into the kettle
for 2"
That is the grease the lye will eat
them all up. She has got keg full of
scraps. The result will be barrel of
good strong soft soap Mrs. Manotte is
a prudent woman. She was country
raised; her mother taught her to save
meat scraps for soap grease, no doubt
This is the way all farmers do, and
make their own soap"
g But Mrs. Manotte need not have
done this, as she is rich," said Mrs
Sequin.
I" Yes, and always means to be,'
said Mr. Sequin. "You know she does
her housework when she might have
dozen walters if she wanted them. Now
she has found hand to work up her
ashes into soap"
" Mrs. Manotte is rather an odd
woman," remarked Mrs. Sequin. I" 1
don't think the Judge is right pleased
with some of her ways"
Three days after Mrs. Manotte an
nounced her intention of making soap,
she called her husband to see the result,
which was hogshead of rich brown
liquid, smooth and thick, exhaling
clean, alkaline odor, as it stood in
sunny nook of the back yard. The
Judge gazed at it rather solemnly as his
| xt.if. f..ll ln.l - ,,.t,, n,.1
exultingly of the "good luck" which
had attended her efforts.
"As we burn the best of wood the
ashes were strong enough without pot
ash, which makes soap biting and harsh.
l added a strong solution of borax,
which will render 1t softer for the hands,
and also increase its cleansing proper.
| ties"
I" How much do you call it worth 2"
asked the Judge.
I" do not propose to sell it," said the
wife, $50 you will not have the pleas
ure of peddling it out, but it will last
two years, and save $40 or $50"
SIS it possible!" exclaimed the Judge,
with a humorous twinkle in the corner
of his eye. 81 am lost in admiration
and amazement at this achievement.
Could / ever have imagined L should
have soap maker for wife !"
Mrs. Manotte laughed she knew the
Judge was rather pleased after all.
Though his wife dismayed and almost
shocked his propriety sometimes, he
had certain quiet pride in her prowess.
He never knew her to make an essay
which ended in defeat; nothing she
attempted " fell through" If she could
! plan, she could also execute. A few days
later, as the Judge was walking home
to dinner, he was accosted by Mr.. Sc
quin.
"Judge Manotte, will you have the
kindness to give me the name of your
soft-soap womanY Our folks saw her
accidentally at work in your back yard,
and we want to employ her to make up
our ashes. She is splendid worker
such activity and strength you don't
find many such in these days. !"
The Judge was aghast at first, but he
soon rallied, and said; 81 will send
her to you tomorrow morning, If you
like" and Mr.. Sequin went home
to tell his wife, Judge Manotte's soap
woman will be on hand with the NOR
| row."
The Judge merely remarked to his
wife at the supper table that Mrs. Sequin