234 HOW TO LIVE IN THE COUNTRY 



sorry for anyone who cannot remember candle dip- 

 ping or wool dyeing or soap making. Each of these 

 household arts had its own day, generally twice a 

 year. Candles, to save time, were always dipped in 

 the evening after the milk was cared for and the 

 daily tasks were ended. A dozen long wicks were 

 attached to a rod and these were dipped into the 

 melted tallow and lifted out long enough to cool. 

 Once, twice, three times, I do not remember rightly, 

 but I think that it took twenty or thirty dips before 

 candles were of the right size, and then they were 

 left over night to get cold and solid. 



Lye was first made by leaching home-made ashes 

 and the soap was made in the back yard, boiled in 

 a huge iron kettle. It was not so interesting and 

 as I remember this soap of a Sunday morning at 

 the weekly round-up of all the children, it got into 

 our eyes and we spluttered and spat always in 

 vain. Sometimes, to save time, we recited our Sun- 

 day-school verses at the same time. Those were days 

 of economy. We prayed while we plowed and said 

 over our spiritual lessons while we milked; we had 

 no time for one thing alone. 



Ashes that were not needed for lye were sold to 

 make pearlash or saleratus; lime, while not quite 

 a home product, was made cooperatively. What- 

 ever things we could not ourselves make we swapped 

 for; honey for lime, and eggs for sugar. When a 

 calf was killed one quarter was reserved for home 

 use, but three were sent to neighbors who had agreed 



