The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-08-31

then, alasi lilac day hsd slipped past.
They were not TO be gathered too soon,
either, il their full soul of fragrance
was to be enjoyed. On lilac day In
FAINT walked under burdens of lavender
bloom. The walls, the pictures,
breathed lilacs. And at night she
went TO sleep crushing her face into a
nest of punches, so that she hsd lilac
dreams, and drew the sweetness into
herself, like an Eastern woman absorb
ing roses.
But the best dav Of all was rose day.
Before il arrived she had always ready
q poSy of poems from Keats. Words
worth. Jean IngelOw and Whittier,
and read them in the morning while
the dew was on the world. The Bald
win girls cultivated a great many
roses. Rilla could hardly miss from
her rose-water and homemade altar
and rose preserves the heaps which In
FAINT cut for her nonsense. There was
not nicer day in the year than rose
day. If Rilla would only abstain from
boiling soap on that date. The sisters
had inherited seventy-five thousand
dollars apiece, but they made their own
soap every spring of refuse fats and
the I've of wOod-ashes. 1t could have
been made cold m the cellar, il that
wav had not been too easy for Rilla. She
held it a movable festival, like rose
dav, and no one will ever gauge the
degree of satisfaction she felt In hauling
her fiOwer-wreathed sister up to the
vile-Smelling caldron to keep the
stirrer going while she set about other
duties. Rilla honored pioneer custom
and her grandmother memory by per-
forming her soap incantatiOnS in the
oldest, modest, most completely
shattered garment she possessed. This
was a red wood delaine. so abased
from its ruby tone that the drippings of
the I've gourd could find little remain
ing space 70 burn or spot.
They boiled soap in huge iron ket-
tie i'm the chip ward. The blue wood
smoke would envelop Rilia and her
furnished tatterS a she ladied and
tested. until she looked witch-like TO
pasSers along the road. Her unhappy
victim. tn slim woman IN gray, with a
rope of roses wound Spirally around her
from head I'd foot. burden of roses on
her bosom. and roses studded thickly
along the hand Of her hat. sat on the
corded wood as far as Rilla would al
low from me soap, alternately inhaling
their odor and rejecting the alkali
steam. Ii infan. had to stir the soap.
she would have n iOng-handled stirrcr.
| The hot sun. beating on the chip yard
/ and her huge hat. smote also the roses.
and amidst their dying fragrance she
! had sad thoughts on the disappOint-
mentS of life. So there was nothing
but the morning of rose day which
! Rilla I'D not spoil.
But this fiftieth anniversary Infant
felt 4 sudden uplifting of courage with
the soap orgy.
Ny soap-boiling will not come any
more on rose day," she put forth,
strongly. And | think | will pay
Enos Robb's wife TO make up my
share of the fat and I've after this.
Rilla."
IL would" said Rilla. sarcastically.
particularly as Enos Robb and his
wife and children don't batten on us al
ready. Give them the piano and the
best parlOr chairs and solid coffee ser
vice while yos are about it.
why. Rilla. didn't propose 10 give
ner NV share of the soap. But it would
be cheaply got rid of in that way.
Yes exclaimed Infant with sudden
| reckieSsneSS. Il would rather bay soap.
and paw out money TO have this dirty
stuff cartcd of. than ever smell it again
while live. Let Us make new rule.
and give our fat and ashes to the Robbs.
They have farmed for us ever since
father died" Infant pleaded, land
whatever you say. Rilla, 81 know YOU
have the greatest confidence in hem.
The poor-house wagon is never
going TO call for me" said Rilla de-
cidedlv. You can 90 and build a fire
under the kettle, while | carry some
more water to pour on the ash hopper.
That I've is strong enough 10 bear up q
setting of eggs, but'we may need some
more little weaker.
.'Rilla. am as firm IS the ash hop
per itself You can't shake me any
better than YOU could our brick smoke
house. won't make any more soap
especially on rose day." added Infant
10 herself. Il don't see any sense IN
it.
But YOU can see sense in spelling
dozens of roses TO load yourself ur
with like a mad Ophe!ia. You fee
above the associations of wash day
though the Princess Nausicaa didn't. y
''Oh. Rilla. | don't feel above any
thing. | merely feel under that soap
kettle. and as if it would crush my
soul out, as the shields crushed Tarpeia
if didn't throw it of. ;"
well, / am going to make soap,
said Rilla, whitening with intense dis
approval of the liserty her twin pro
, posed to grasp. You are not a minor
, and if you were, I'm not your guar
I dian. But if you propose to 90 t.
/ yourself and leave me to myself. W,
I both know what belongs to us, and
is easily done"
i. This time-worn hint, which in he