The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-12-17
the earth, and pile Of blazing fsgots

OSs cSiN euO yOeo6Oh 6hA- AuA iooi
, at the pals Of black liquid she il
: pouring into it, and foul Jumps o
bones che is pouring from that greasy
cask. An internal broth that must b.
she is concocting"
"And there is another barrel with
the dark liquor dripping through the
, spigot," said the older one.
$50 there is," exclaimed the young.
er. when did she fix that !? What q
vigorous creature She would clean
our whole house in twenty four hours.
Let us call father He knows most
everything. Iii bet be can tell us
what all this means"
/ So Mr.. Sequin was brought to look
down on the spectacle in Judge Ma.
notte's back yard.
ut beats the witches in Hecate ell
hollow" said the two girls in chorus,
as their paternal parent entered the
room. After quietly surveying the
Operations below moment, he burst
out laughing.
"Why, the woman is making soft
SOAP" he said; "thst's 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 bet
ter for hundred purposes in fsmi-
ly than all your patent cleansers found
at stores"
| II 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 up She has got keg foil
of scraps. The result will be bar
rel of strong soft soap. Mrs Manotte
is prudent woman. She was coun.
try 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"
"But Mrs Manotte need not have
done thus, as she is rich,n said Mrs.
Sequin.
"Yes, and always means to be-"
said Mr. Sequin. "You know she
does her housework when she might
have q 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 Mrs. Sequin. Il
don't think the Judge is right pleas.
ed with some Of her ways.
Three days after Mrs. Manotte an
nounced ber attention of making soap,
she called her husband to zee the re-
suit, which was a hogsbead of rich
brown liquid, smooth and thick, ex-
haling q clean, alkaline odor, as it
stood in sunny nook of the back
yard. The Judge gazed at it rather
solemnly as his wife extolied its viz
tues and spoke exulIingly of the
good luck" which had attended her
Efforts"
"As we burn the best of wood the
aches were strong enough without
potash, which makes soap biting and
harsh. added strong solution of
borax. which will render it softer for
the hands, and also increase its cleans
ing properties"
"How much do you call it worth ?"
asked the Judge.
81 do not propose to sell it," said
the wife, $50 you will not have the
pleasure of peddling it out, but it will
last two years, and save $40 or $50.
"Is it possible 70 exclaimed the
Judge with humorous twinkle in
the corner of his eye II am lost 10
admiration and smazement at this
achievement Could l ever have
imagined l should have ascsp-maker
for q wife ~
Mrs. Manotte laughed she knew
the Judge was rather pleased after
all. Though his wife dismsyed and
almost shocked his propriety some
times, be bad certain quiet pride in
her prowess. He neverIknew her to
make an essay which ended in de-
feat; nothing she attempted fell
through."A few days later, as the
Judge was walking home to dinner,
he was accosted by Mr.. Sequin."
Judge Msno,te, Will you have the
kindness to give me the name Of your
soft-sosp woman? 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 sgbsst at first, but
be soon rallied, aud said II will
send her over tomorrow morning, if
you like" and Mr. Sequin went bone
to tell his wife, Judge Msnotte's
soap woman will be on hand with
the morrow"
The Judge merely remarked to his
wife at the supper table that Mrs.
Sequin wishes her to call at her
house next morning, and Mrs. Man
otte thought nothing strange of this.
The ladies were acquainted, and at
tended the same church-Episcopal
Accordingly Mrs. Manotte made
ready at the time specified. The
Judges wife was handsome, stylish
woman when dressed. AS she sp-
preached the door of her neighbor,
she noticed the front part of the house
had decidedly shut up appearance,
and she had to ring once and again
for admittance. Within, tie two
girls were "peeping," and beheld
Mrs. MaDotte dressed 80 grand" on
the front step.
"How strange she should call as
such an unreasonable hour" they
said, II never knew her to do thus
before, and when We are eli in our
worst clothes, with the parlors shut
up, expecting the soap woman. 1t is
too bad; how can we let her 10 ?"
But the bell rang again rather per-
emptorily, Mrs. Manotte saying to
herself. ''ss they sen. for me, and /
have been st some trouble to call a.
this hour, why do they keep me wait
ing for entrance in this unseemly
style 7"
Il must let her in" said Mrs. Se-
quin, "or she may take offense. and
| Mrs. Manotte ia too good a friend 20