Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1883-05-24
HARRY HARCOURT,s DREAM.

Harry Harcourt was not given to
dreaming on ordinary occasions; in fact,
he seldom dreamed at all, for he was n
sound sleeper, with a stomach like an
alligator's and a conscience like n babys.
An easy conscience and a good diges.
tion are the best promoters of healthy
sleep the world over, and do not Won
der that Harry Harcourt slept well.
Harry Harcourt had hobby. Most
practical ard impractical people have
hobbies. My hero's hobby was the i'm
aginary financial. political, legal and
every way possible superiority Of mems
responsibilities over women's duties in
raising family and providing for the
household.
Mrs. Harcourt was pale little woman
with big family. Pale little women
lies. They are like decaying apple
trees-exceedingly fruitful because of
their predisposition to early death.
Mrs. Harcourts children were boys,
ruddy, rollickiug,t Jolly little romping
fellows, whose knees would peep through
their trousers and whose elbows would
get ragged iu spite of their mothers s un-
firing assiduity.
"lf / had nothing more 10 do than
you have, Mrs. Harcourt, am sure
would keep the children's jackets and
trousers in order" said Harry Harcourt
one day, when Ben and Billy came rush.
ing into the great unfurnished farm
house, driving tandem team of the other
boys, aud racking mud upon the newly
mopped floor.
The boys walked the baby, who had
just fallen asleep after an hour of inces-
SAINT rocking while the mother had wear
lily piled the needle; and they upset her
work-basket in heap as they galloped
around the room in high glee.
Harry always said, i'Mrs. Harcourt, y
when he meant to be extremely digni-
fed.
Mrs. Harcorrt was not always as meek
rs she looked, and her husband had
many time discovered it to his cost
She had will of her own when aroused
and Harry Harcourt had once more un-
Willingly aroused her by riding his
strongest hobby directly athwart her
sense of justice, when she was nervous
from over-exertlon.
Ii L had nothing more to do than
you have, Mr.. Harcourt, or if [ had the
CONTROL OF my own earnings as you do,
I'd once in while be able to buy the
children something new to wear, so that
they wouldn't always have to depend
upon Patches ?"
"That's all woman knows about
economy. You'd break me up in three
months if you had free swing at my
finances. New clothes for the children,
indeed. Let them wear their old onesn'
THAT'S what they have been doing
all along, Mir. Harcourt, aud they were
mostly made OF old clothes in the first
place. Ill was only free from all the
unpaid drudgery that yon impose upon
me without any remuneration whatever,
would earn money and buy clothes for
the children as fast as they were needed;
but have to be cook, nurse, laundress,
dish-washer, dairy-maid, scullion, mop
rag, needle woman and general scape.
goat all the time, and all for the sake of
being supported. 1t wasn't SO when
was q school-ma'am. | had my own
money then, and no thanks to anybody
for it, either.
After delivering herself of this TRADE,
Mrs. Harconrt shook the screaming
baby till it grew silent from sheer ex-
haustiop, aud then laid it back in tie
cradle, while she renewed her efforts
with her needle.
She was patching pair of old and
dirty trousers which had reached the
vexatious age that required patch upon
patch to make them presentable,
81 could do more work than you do,
Mrs. Harcourt, and get along with less
money, and carry rail on my shoulder
all the time, at that!' said Harry Hai-
court, conten,ptuously.
"Could you, now?" asked the pale
little woman, with bitter smile.
s'Of course / could. Women have nc
responsibilities. support my family
ana bear all the burdens of life. 1 can
remember, too, since reflections are in
order, Mrs. Harcourt, that there was O
time when / had no cares nor respopsi.
bilities, no wife nor children to bother
me, and nothing under the sun to ruffie
my temper"
"Would you like to be rid of me,
Harry?"
The indignant husband did not answer
III wordR, but he gave vent to pro.
/ longed whistle and left tue door, bang
Ing the door after him with vim tia
Jared the whole honse and set her nerves
a,iingling like no many stinging bees il
swarming time.
Tue baby sobb d itself into grievel
and uneasy slamber, the tandem team
and rollicklng drive OF boys skufria1a 81 Of
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