The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-10-30
This is the way all farmers do, and
mako their own soan -

=" I es. and always means to be-" said
Mr.. Sequin. You know she does her
housework when she might have a
dozen walters if she wanted them. Now
she has found a 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 n hogshead of rich brown
liquid, smooth and thick, exhaling q
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 worth "
asked the judge.
II 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"
lis it possible!" exclaimed the
Judge, with humorous twinkle in the
corner of his eye. Il AN lost in admir-
alton and amazement of this achieve
ment. Could ever have imagined
should have soap-maker for a wifep"
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 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 acc Costed by Mr.
Squine.
Judge Manotte, will you have the
kindness to give me the name of your
soit-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 splendid worker
such activity and strength, you don't
find many such in these days"
~,
soon rallied, and said Il will send her
like" and Mr.. Sequin went home to tell
his wife, Judge Manotte's soap woman
will be on hand with the morrow"
TIE judge merely remarked to his
wife at the dinner table that Mrs. Seauin
wished her to call at her house next
morning, and Mrs. Manotte thought
nothing strange of this. The ladies
were acqua anted, and attended tile same
church. Accordingly Mrs. Manotte
made ready ut the time specified. The
judges wife was a 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 admittancc
Within the two girls were pecping,"
and beheld Mrs. Manotte, "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
wien 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 IMP"
But the bell rang again rather per-
y,
self, AS they sent for me and ] have
been at some trouble to call at this hour,
why do they keep me waiting for en-
trance in this unseemly style?"
:" / must let her in," said Mrs Seouin,
cor she may take offence, and Mrs. Ma
notte is too good n 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 ut
once. Then she returned to the parlor
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," as
she bowed her visitor out.
Mrs. M. walked homeward feeling
rather vexed.
- thought you said Mrs. Sequin
wished to see me-" she remarked to the
Judge In the evening.
so Mr.. Sequin informed me-" was
the response, then she did not see lit to
employ youP"
Employ meP" echoed Mrs. Manottn,
but the judge was inscrutable.
The very next day Mr.. Sequin sought
out the judge and said: "Your soap
woman did not come yesterday; just
tell me her Whereabouts, if you please,
that 7 NOV cppR hpr. ont -
"The soap-woman has informed me
that she went to your house yesterday
morning, but your wife did not say any
thing about wishing her services be-
,ieve virtually declined them"
1T is not So" said Mr.. Sequin, 81 fear
the woman is not to be relied on"
Il never knew her to break her word !;
she is rather wilful woman, but by no
means an untruthful one" the Judge
said. with that sly twinkle in his eye
which his neighbor had learned carried
a meaning ofits own.
Mr.. Sequin went home and asked his
wife if she had had any callers yester-
"Only Mrs. Manotte," was the an
swer. land she came before nine o'clock
in the morning; l never knew her to
call at such an unreasonable hour be-
fore. thought something special had
brought her. but she did no errand."
Mr.. Sesuin roared.
"Why, she was the soap-woman,
wife" he said.
Then ne related what Judge Manotte
had just been saying to him and 1t SEEM
ed plain. The judge had played a prac-.
tical Joke on his wife. he was fond OF
sueh hut thew were never inStigated