The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-10-30
THE SOAP WOMAN.

1t is doubtful if the judge would have
felt us much surprised to hear his wife
say she was going to make II voyage to
Europe as to hear her say she was going
to make soap. They had not been very
long married then, and the judge was
not yet cOnVerSnnt with the full clta-
logue of that thoroughly homemade
syOman's accomplishments. She had
been one of the five daughters of a
widow, left while her children were wee
bit girls in very straitencd circumstances,
The way the mother reared them up to
q true and useful womanhood was a
marvel of perseverance, industry and
economy. She managed to have them
well educated for the times, and saw
them all married into the best circles
and occupying positions of respectable
ity and influence. Judge Nanotte's
wife was the youngest of the widow s
daughters, and it was thought she had
made the best match of the five. The
Judges place was the pleasantest in the
thrifty village, which has since assumed
the more ambitious name of city. He
had been gently born and raised, went
early to college, and from thence to his
profession as q lawyer. Manual toll
was stranger to him, yet he was man
of industry, in no sense given to profuse-
ness of expenditure. lie approved and
admired his wife's general prudence in
housekeeping and spoke with pride to
his guests of the excellent food with
which his board was spread as the work
of her own hands. Mrs. Manotte might
have kept servants. / think the judge
would have been better satisfied if sac
would have had a girl GALL the ladies OF
her position had one or more), but she
nscsn ttxr .1xy -,
their welded life, that she would not
be bothered with servants as long as she
had health to do her own work. The
exercise was no more than she needed
for her own benefit.
Mrs. Manotte had will and way of
her own, as this little tale will bear
abundant evidence. The Judge made
this discovery pretty early. He could
doubtless make moving plea in court
room, hut he was aware he could make
no plea to move his wife when she was
fully bent upon certain course.
But yet when Mrs. Manotte. over the
breakfast table of fair April morning,
announced her intention of making a
barrel of soft soap, the judge looked as
if stricken with a sudden palsy. doubt
if he would have worn more rueful
be had his best lawsuit gone against
i'm.
"And l hope you will help me all you
'can," added the earnest woman, on
thoughts of economy, ashes and grease
intent.
Indeed, can render you no assist
ance whatever!" returned the judge, in
sharper tones than his wife had ever
heard him speak before. Her calm blue
eyes surveyed him with unrutfied COM
posure, but there was not in look or
bearing one symptom OF wavering from
her purpose.
"Then I must go about the job alone, "
she said quietly.
a beg you will do nothing ofsthe
kind" continued the judge, something
very like frown contracting his brow /;
~ am perfectly willing to buy all the
soap we need, and what use should we
have for the vile, sloppy stuff"
soft soap was good enough for my
mother, and it is good enough for her
daughter" said Mrs. Manotte, with a
dignity approaching sternness.
shall make no vile. sloppy stuff. but an
article far more efficacious for cleansing
clothes and for various household pur-
poses, than anything to be bought at
stores. Are you aware how much
money we paid out for soap last year,
Mr.. Manottep"
No." said the judge, land it doesn't
matter"
Indeed, think it does matter" said
the wife. "However much money peo-
pie may have. they are never justified
in wasting it. SO hope you will call
at the grocer's as you go down this
morning. and see if you can procure
three mOlasses hogsheads "
"Three molasses hogsheadsr ex-
claimed the judge in tone of mingled
terror and dismay, "do you then pro-
pose to manufacture the article by
wholesaler l shall next be invited to
peddle soft soap by the gallon from door
to door"
The wife laughed gleefully at her hus-
bands rueful apprehensions, and asked