Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-06-16
LOVE IN ASHES.
BY SARAH J. CLARKE.

"uScu Unity MIS- SuutteT as she SCRUBBED the
porch Deacon, I'll get you to set the big tub
down cellar, ifyou will"
Certain. wife, responded the deacon from
his cart in the door-yard.
There comes Kendals new basket wagon.
with two women in it," pursued the lady
wringing her mop. 'Isnt that the horse that
balks7"
Being in the critical act Of emptying four
gallon bucket ofsOap. the good man vouchsafed
no reply. When the jellied mass had quivered
and splashed into the barrel in waiting he looked
up just in season to see the gay little pony shy
at the cart and go tearing down the road.
They'll upset. they'll be killed! Run after
EN-. Do something" shrieked Mrs. Clutter.
Don't get excited wife: they're all right now.
That girl drives like man."
And picking up his bucket. the moderate
deacon marched of for second supply of soap.
But though the little incident had failed to
shake his nerves, it did make him Oblivious Of
his wife's wash-tub poised on the landing OF the
dim stairway. and as a natural consequence he
put his foot in 1t. The tub rolled; the deacon
Swayed Ike pestle In mortar; there was
lively succession of bumps. followed by a chatter
and thud, and deacon, tub, and bucket strewed
the cellar floor.
.'Adab and Abihu!" calculated the fallen
saint, with sinful energy.
What's up, unce?" cried an anxious voice
81 can tell you what's down." was the grim
response. Come and brace me while try to
step"
The owner of the voice fine looking youth
OIL one-and-tWenty, was already cropping his way
among the debris, bis aunt In the rear, with the
camphOr.
The deacon's attempted locomotion resulted
in groan.
IL must have sprained my ankle, Harvey.
1fTd postponed this tub race till after I'd been
'tWOui1 hot lp,,lo
ton"
"Oh, wouldn't worry about my rounds.
uncle. What's the hurry?'
my customers expect me to-day, that's the
point. hate mastery to break my word. Now
there's the widowCleayes waiting for me to take
her ashes. so she can scrub after me with the
boiling suds; and up at kendalls they're clean
out OF SOAP"
And not clean without It, ehf" laughed the
young man. See here, uncle: since you are
going to feel so uneasy about disappointing the
people, why not send me in your stead?".
you, in your fine clothes! 1 should smile!"
mumbied Mrs. Clutter, with the stopper of the
calnphor bottle between her teeth.
''Why can't my uncles mantle fall upon me.
aunte? was intending to borrow the frock."
'Wen. II l do say it, you've got the Vance
common-sense. Some young men Of your
bringing up would be ashamed to drive soap
cart"
'.Humph! Some young men would be FOOLS"
said the deacon, with warmth. 'sNObody has
any call to be ashamed to deliver such soap as
make. If you've mind to run the team to-day
Harvey, shall be obliged to you"
Fifteen minutes later the worthy deacon was
extending his aching length upon the sitting
room lounge and gazing through the open win
dow after his youthful proxy, who, duly initi-
ated into the mysteries OF the calling, was driv-
ing away in the big blue cart. Behind iounced
and creaked an empty ash-bin, fanked by two
covered barrels Of soap; but the swinging seat
was clean and comfortable, commanding fine
view OF the surrounding country.
A half mile and more the road wound through
his uncle's fertile acres, for Deacon Clutter was
withal a farmer. Farming, indeed, was his chief
vocation, soap-boiling being an accessory ven
ture growing out of sundry extensive expert
ments In the use Of leached ashes as a fertilizer
1t was one OF those tuneful mornings in early
June when all nature joins in glad doxology.
The newly arrived bobolinks tipsy with glee,
carOlled in the meadows The orioles hanging
their hammocks in the elms. could scarcely
work for singing. Gay breeZes whispered love
to the graceful young clover then danced away
to filrt with the coy hillside bIrches. Every
where were life and motion irradiated by the
benignant sun. For Harvey Vances study
weakened eyes there was too much glare, too
much futter. He lost no time in putting on his
blue goggles.
"Who cares if they do make me look like
frog p unused he, as he settled them astride his
aristocratic nose. Thanks to them and to
change OF air, my poor optics are undoubtedly
Improving. l shall be back to college by tall.
Ha! ha! If the fellows could only see me now!"
And here, to the infinite surprise of staid Dob
bin, his new master broke into rollicking class
song-a song abruptly ended as turn In the
road revealed near farmhouse.
IF peddle soap I'll peddle it with due deco
rum" soliloquized the youth knocking upon
the back door with the handle of his whip.
To have seen the capable air with which he
measured ashes bushel by bushel. giving in ex-
change money or gallons Of soap, according to
the customers desire, one would have pronounced
him bred to the soap business. Since his months
rustication at his Aunt Cutters he had made
the acquaintance Of most of the farmers along
the river. and these expressed their qualification
at meeting "a judges son that wasn't afraid to
work." but outside the parish limits his tri-
umphal march terminated. He was a stranger
in strange land. One man asked If he had
wasn't proposing to run an opposition team;
and the loyal Widow Cleaves could hardly be
persuaded IS surrender her ashes, because, for
sooth, she preferred to trade with Deacon Chut-
ter.
Obedient to his uncle's instructions, at her
cottage the young man took cross-road to
kendalrs, summer hotel, Familiarity STYLED ''The
Eyre"
You'll find 1t long three miles," had been
Mrs Cleaves's parting remark.
"Three miles, and not neghbOr between here
and there: l couldn't blame the widow if she
should want to change her situation" unused
the deacon's deputy, scanning the western hori-
ION. Shouldn't wonder if that cloud yonder
meant business. l thought the sun was too
bright this morning. Well. little heightened
thunder will drown this everlasting racket"
Facing about to wedge In position an empty
soap barrel. he observed two ladies driving up
the hill In basket phaeton.
"That looks like KendalIs team that gave
auntie such panic this morning." thought he.
''Those ladies are some Of his bOarders. sup
pOse-T0m Cavender's mother and sister, for
aught know. have heard they were stopping
at the Eyre. Goodness wouldn't it be Joke
If l should fall In with them to-day!"
Meanwhile the younger lady in the carriage
was merrily commenting on the quasi soap
mans active figure, conspicuously and amply
clad in the deacOns canvas frock and over
alls.
~ hope he isn't perambulating maniac,
mamma"
It's the very cart that frightened the pony!"
was the terrified response. ''Do let me get out,
Lila! Oh! OH"
But already the horse was backing down the
HILL. Harvey sprang from the cart and grasped
the refractory animal by the bride Just In season
to prevent the carriage from overturnng in the
ditch.
Thank you. sir-thank you very much, said
the QirliSh driver the color rnshinO bach 70 hor