Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1904-08-20
Her Soft Soap
Acquaintance
BY Janes Worf7eet
Copyright, la4, by X. NJ. Whitehead

gagged his farm to old John Dnan that
he might raise money to 30 into the
dairy business he could figure ont that
he had twenty chances OF success
against one OF failure. lnS:" OF three
years, however. misfortune had c"ENe
to him in half Il dozen dif,cr;l: .ii"et.
tions. Most of his her'i had i'rr. shed
when his barn had been struck hy n
thundcrinlt and following that his wife
had died and he had fallen ANA broken
n leg. There could be only on" more
calamity In store for him. and thu uut
in an appearance in due time f'n,' day
when Il letter had come for him Ii" call
ed his daughter Ees>ie in and SahE
"Well. 1t has come. Old John Doan
Is going to fOreclose the mort.:l:;" on
me, and In Il few weeks we shall he
homeless Here's the notice from his
man OF business
Bessie Thompson was Il girl of twpn-
ty In addition to being Gool look
ing and having n good education. her
ncQunintances called her il ''hrick."
They said so because she had faced
misfortune with n Drawer heart than
her father and had displayed Il level
head and much shrpwdn"ss in trying
to stem the tide and eXtricat" him
from his unfortunate situation. She
had even taken n trip of fifty mics to
see old John Doan in person and try
to soften his heart. but had only found
his agent and been gruily told that
her father must pay mp or 20. She had
expected the blow. and her answer to
her father was:
"Well. If we can't pay We'll have
to go. Of course. but we shall be allow
ed a few weeks grace. and who knows
what may happen In that timc:"
Something did happen. but 1t came
about In queer way. Two weeks had
passed. and Miss Bessie had started to
make soft soap in a big kettle In the
back yard. Farmer folks would make
soft soap in the spring even though as
sured that the world would be no
more by midsummer. The big kettle
had been filled with lye from the beach
and fire started under it. and the
hour was o'clock in the afternoon.
when Miss BESSIE sat down on the
back doorstep out Of the smok" to
think and plan for the future. In the
course OF II quarter OF an hour she was
so lost In her thoughts that she was
Oblivious Of her surroundings and WAS
jumped to her feet by hearing Il harsh
voice saying:
"YOung woman, don't You know that
II 10 boiling
lye?'
1t was Il man Of sixty who had en-
tered the front gate and passed around
the house. lie was decently dressed
but he was bowbackeh and lame. and
his snarlng. stinsy disposition could
be read in his face.
81 say that the kettle is boiling Over,'
he repeated as she stared ut him and
wondered who he could be- at seems
to me that girl of your age ought to
know enough to put 4 stick across It,
Perhaps. though. you've got lye to
throw away or you had rather think
of marrying some prince than of max
ing soft soap?'
II was thinking she stammprcd.
"Yes; l know. but II wasn't about
the soap. Young woman. when YOU
have anything on hand attend to 1t
and let castle building alone. Thinking
won't bring bread and butter"
Miss Bessie walked down to the fire
and rearrangcd it a bit and then laid Il
stick across the top Of the kettle to pre-
vent another accident. While she was
doing this the old man sat down on
the steps, with n grUnt. and looked
around and muttered to himself. Pres
emily he called to her:
Young woman. is your father at
work anywheres about the farm:"
"NO. sir. Father is in bed with
broken leg"
81 s'pose he was doing some fool
thing when he broke it?'
"IIe was drawing up wood last Feb
ruary.'
"Um! Where's your mother?'
dead"
"Um! Who runs the farmY'
"I'm doing my best to care for
things, but it won't need anybody
long, as we shall soon be leaving"
"Got to leave. eh?" he chuckled.
"Say, young woman. I'll bet You hair
pin there's mortgage on this farm.
Isn't It s@:'
''Yes, SIR"
"And I'll bet another that it's bpld
by old John Doan, the old flint hearted
rascal. Come now"
"Yes."
81 thought so; l thought so. And, Of
course. he's going to turn you out:"
"IIe wants his money, of course
replied the girl. perhaps he has to
be hard hearted to prevent people tax
ing advantage Of him. If could see
him and tell him just how things have
gone with us | believe he would give
us show"
"Well, why don't you see himT'
81 have tried to, bat | had to deal
with his agent"
"Yes, yes. TN, um! So your father
is in bed with broken leg and you
are trying to run the farm? | see.
Can you cook and wash!'
"Of course"
"Know enough to milk a cow and do
churning!"
''Yes; quite enough"
'WhO makes your clOthes?" contin-
ued the old man as he looked her up
and down.
~ do. sir, but why do you ask me