Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-10-31

eS, ana always means 10 be, SAID
Mr.. Sequin. "You know she does her
homework 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 wo-
man, remarked Mr.. Sequin. Il don't
think the judge is quite 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 a
clean, alkaline odor, as it stood in a
sunny nook of the back yard. The
Judge gazed at it solemnly as his wife
extOlled it's virtues and spoke exult-
ingly of the "good luck which had at
tended her efforts.
"As we burn the best of wood the
ashes were str, ng enough without pot
ash, which makes soap biting and harsh.
l added strong solution of borax,
which will render it softer for the hands,
and also increase its cleansing proper
ties"
"How much do you call it worthP"
asked the judge.
/" l do not purpose 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 forty or fifty dol
lars"
"Is it possible!" exclaimed the
Judge, with humorous twinkle in the
corner of his eye. 81 an lost in admir-
alton and amazement of this achieve
ment. Could / ever have imagined l
should have soap-maker for wifep"
Mrs. Manotte laughed she knew the
judge was rather pleased after all.
Though his wife dispayed and almost
shocked his propriety sometimes, he
had certain quiet ride in her prowess.
He never knew her to make an essay
which ended in defeat; nothing she at
tempted " 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..
Squine.
Judge Manotte, will you have the
| kindness to give me the name of your
soft-soap woman? Our folks accident
ally saw her at work in your back yard,
and we want to employ her to make up
our ashes. She is a splendid worker
| SuCll tCIlNIbO uhl yOu NOl1 v
find many such in these days"
The Judge was aghast at first, but he
soon rallied, and said: Il will send her
to you tomorrow morning, if you would
| like, and Mr.. Sequin went home to tell
will be on hand with the morrow"
TIE judge merely remarked to his
wife at the dinner table that Mrs Sequin
| ..Io Il +o Of hn,
morning, and Mrs. Manotte thought
nothing strange of this. The ladies
were acquainted, and attended the same
church. Accordingly Mrs. Manotte
made ready at the time specified. The
Judges wife was handsome, stylish
woman when dressed. Asshe approach
ed the door of her neighbor she noticed
the front part of the house had decid-
edly shut up appearance, and she had to
ring once and again for admittance.
Within the two girls were "pecping, d"
and beheld Mrs. MarOtte, "dressed so
grand on the front step.
:" How strange she should call at such
an unreasonable hour, they said, 81
never knew her to do thus before, and
when we are all in our worst clothes,
with the parlors shut up, expecting the
soap woman. 1t is too bad how can
we let her in?"
But the bell rang again rather per-
emptorily, Mrs. Manotte saying to her.
self, CAS- they sent for me and l have
been ut some trouble to call at this hour,
why do they keep me waiting for en-
trance in this unseemly stylep"
81 must let her in, said Mrs. SeQuin,
cor she may take offence, and Mrs. Ma
notte is too good u friend to lose, though
it is strange she should call at such an
untimely hour. Something particular
may bring her"
So blind was hastily opened in the
parlor and Mrs. Manotte admitted,
while Mrs. Sequin excused delay by
saying they had some unusual work
claiming their attention that morning
and told the girls aside if the SOAP
woman came to show her the ashes and
scraps in the area and set her to work al
once. Then she returned to the parloI
with Mrs. Manotte, who was unaccount.
ably silent and rather stiff at length, as
she asked:
"Was there anything particular you
wished, Mrs. Sequinp" and that lady
answered, "Oh, no, Mrs. Manotte," az
she bowed her visitor out.
Mrs. M. walked homeward feeling
rather vexed.
81 thought you said Mrs. Sequir
wished to see me-" she remarked to the
judge in the evening.
$50 Mr.. Sequin informed me, "-wa
the response, :" then she did not see fit tc
employ youP"
Employ meP" echoed Mrs. Manottn
but the Judge was inscrutable.
The very next day Mr.. Sequin sough
out the judge and said: "Your soap
woman did not come yesterday; jus
telLme her whereabouts, if you please
that may seek her out"
1.-The soap-woman has informed m
that she went to your house yesterda,
morning, but your wife did not say any
thing about wishing her services; be
,ieve virtually declined them"
"It isnot so" said Mr.. Sequin, 81 fea
the woman is not to be relied on"
"I never knew her to break her word
she is rather wilful woman, but by n,
means an untruthful one," the iudg
said, with that sly twinkle in his ey
which his neighbor had learned CARRIE
, meaning of its own.
Mr.. Sequin went home and asked hi
wife if she had had any callers yestel
| dayP
swer, "and she came before nine o'cloc
) in the morning; | never knew her t
call at such an unreasonable hour be
{ fore. thought something special hat
1 brought her. but she did no errand."
| Mr.. Sequin roared.
t "Why, she was the soap-womar
!. wife" he said.
+ Then ne related what Judge Manott
had just been saying to him and it seen
t ed plain. The judge had played a prat
tical joke on his wife. he was fond {
@ such, but they were never instigate
e by malicious or vindictive spirit. Sh