The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-06-09
WOMAN AT
THE HEAD
By SADIE oLcoTT
Copyright. 1910. BY American Press
Association.

In the little hamlet Of Nordhastedt.
near Meldorf. a singular custom Is OBJ
served annually. According to tradl-
ton, It dates back to the thirteenth
century. During that era the hamlet
was on one occasion attacked by a
band Of robbers. and the men Of the
village were soon compelled to beat a
retreat
Thereupon the women boldly at
tackled the robbers and not only van
pushed them, but also took the leader
and several Of the band prisoners. As
a token Of their gratitude the men
have ever since allowed the women
to celebrate this great event BY hold
ing a festival at stated intervals. and
on such occasions they exercise no au-
thority themselves. but submit in all
things to the viii Of the women.
Now. there lived in this hamlet a
pair Of lovers. Carl Koopman and
Gretchen Boucher who had often dis
cussed the relative hardship Of men
and womens work. Carl aveming that
women have a very easy time. When
q few days before their marriage one
Of these festivals was to come OF
Gretchen ordered Carl to report him.
self at her home, where she lived with
her father and mother and number
Of younger brothers and sisters aged
all the way from fourteen years to
three months, and to remain there
during the day subject to her direc-
lions
On the day Of the festival Carl ap-
peared. good natured, smiling. evident
" much pleased at the novel situation
OF obeying bis sweetheart for whole
day. He found Gretchen In care Of
the family. her father and mother hav-
ing taken holiday and gone into
Meldorf to enjoy themselves.
wash the breakfast dishes" said
Gretchen.
Carl went into the kitchen. poured
some water into a pan and proceeded
to wash the dishes When he bad
finished be called Gretchen to inspect
his work. She looked over the dishes
and put her finger in the dishwater-
"stone cold" she said. "Heat some
water and do them again. Look at the
grease on them"
Carl was a trlile sobered at this, but
be was resolved to do his part and
obey orders implicitly re heated
some water and washed the dishes
again, gcaldlng his fingers at the work.
Gretchen permitted him to put the
dishes In the cupboard, then told him
10 do the morning sweeping He sent
the dust up into the room. and It set
tied on the furniture instead of the
floor. After an hours work Gretchen
told him to stop, to get some wet tea
leaves. put them on the floor and DO
the work over
Having given him scolding,
Gretchen told him that he was to
mind the baby while she took the
children ont for walk He was to
have the dinner ready by the time they
returned
Carl saw her depart with misgiv-
ings The novelty Of the situation was
wearing of. The baby was quite
peaceful for a time. then suddenly be-
gan to bawl. Carl took it up and
walked about with It for awhile. then
put 1t down again But the baby was
not minded to be put down The
squawling recommended Carl took Il
I'D again. but the squawling being re-
newed he repeated the process again
and again. IN other words, he was
obliged to keep the baby II bis arms.
About noon the child fell asleep on
his shoulder. and he laid It ln its
crib.
Il was now time to get the dinner
and Carl congratulated himself upon