Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1885-08-07
A BARREL OF SOFT SOAP

"IIain't you put that rack in tn
o cellar yet, to hang that er dried bee
4 Z" asked Mrs. Stutson.
e mo, Judy. thougAtmebb 'twoul
rain in a day orItwo, and then Jab
e could be spared to help little abou
the house, for Imust get my wod
ketched up while we have goo,
, weather."
"les, there's allus something y,
cant do if it don't rain, and ye cant i
1t does; declare for it; I'd like tC
know what on arth would become or
us all if 'twant for me to look after
things"
Come. come, mother, don't fret any
more; we don't want cloud in the
Kitchen when there amt none outside"
oval, I've got something else to do
beside peekin' at the weather; and if
you amt it's time that you had"
Giles Stutson was a farmer-a man
Of good habits, honest in his dealings
with his fellow men who in his youth
had married Judith Mcintosh. "A
smarter girl never trod shoe leather"
SO said the elder Stutson on the morn
Ing of their marriage.
They I'D by the closest economy
acquired a small fortune, in the shape
OF farm, located about two miles
from the village Of M,75sa 4Bss-,r, 4,liB,lss-,r,t,,...
who at the time of our story had
reached the age of 20 years.
Mrs. Stutson, as you will observe by
this conversation, was one of that
peculiar type of women whose very
life seemed to depend upon seolding
and working all at the same instant;
and the more she fretted and scolded,
the more work she accomplished.
The whole family had become so
accustomed to this that its effect was.
as Mr. Stutson once said, at went in
one ear and out 'tother."
"Wal, Giles, there's Jest this much
about it; if that ar rack amt up by
ten o'clock, III git some nails and
drive up, to hang that beef on myself.
I've got to clean the cheese room to-
day, and want that pile of beef out
Of my way"
SO saying she went into the milk
room, to strain the mornings milk.
ats no use arguing said Mr..
! Stutson to Jabe, the hired man.
"Nhen judy gets sot on anything
she'll lave her way, and If she says
she'll do q thing, she'll do it every
time. guess hat cheese-room won
spile If 'taint cleaned to-day, and Tho
beef is well enough where it is; can
bother with it to-day, anyhow"
Having thus expressed his opinion
he followed Jabe to the field, leavms
Martha Ann to clear away the break
fast.
Having cared for the milk, Mrs
Stutson appeared and exclaimed, part
y to herself and partly TO Martha:
"Whoever see sich men folks? The
think woman can git along any way
no matter how Here is billed Dime
to git, them starch clothes to iron, pie
TO make, cheese-room to clean, an
massy knows what, | don't. Yes, an
there's the donation party to the pal
sonage tonight. Was ever a woma
SO put to it to know what to do fust
never was. Wal, l sha'nt go to til
party, that's one sure thing"
why, mother, of course you'n 60
"Of course l sha'nt gol I've g
something else to do beside going SIX.
larking round nights. There will
enough on 'em without me. Let the
60 that hain't got SO much to do as
have. Here. Martha, you go into Il
r shed, and behind the door git me son
nails, and out on the wood pile al
fetch me the hatchet, and I'll see VIII
| can do"
All things now ready, Mrs. Stutso
with hatchet, nails and beef in han
, started for the cellar, stopping on 4
, top stair to tell Martha to be sure al
wash the greens clean, and not be
gaping out the winder to Tom Ryder
Thomas Ryder was the son of
neighboring farmer, who had at su
dry times shown Martha Ann sol
attention at apple bees and can
pulls, these incidents being suflcie
to impress the mother with the gre
responsibility which deyolved up
her to keep watchful eye upon Nj
n tha, lest Tom, whom she deemed u
worthy the prize, should rob them
their precious treasure
On reaching the cellar she found
suitable place over the pork BARI
x.,hara 70 har mind tha haaf would