Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1910-06-02
VIC AT
THE HEAD
By SADIE oLcoTT
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

In the little hamlet Of N~ordhastedt.
near Meldorf, a singular custom is OBJ
served annually. According to tradi-
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
quished 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 will Of the women.
Now, there lived in this hamlet q
pair Of lovers, Carl Koopman and
Gretchen Boucher. who had often dis
cussed the relative hardship Of men
and wolmen's work, Carl averring that
women have a very easy time. When
a few days before their marriage one
of these festivals was to come off
Gretchen ordered Carl to report him
self at her home. where she lived with
her father and mother and a 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
ly much pleased at the novel situation
of obeying his sweetheart for q whole
day. He found Gretchen in care of
the family, her father and mother hav-
ing taken a 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 had
finished he 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 trile sobered at this. but
he was resolved to do his part and
obey orders implicitly. He heated
some water and washed the dishes
again. scalding his fingers at the work.
Gretchen permitted him to put the
dishes in the cupboard, then told him
to 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 a scolding,
Gretchen told him that he was to
mind the baby while she took the
have the dinner ready by the time they
returned.
Carl saw her depart with misgiv-
ings. The novelty of the situation was
wearing off. 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 it down again. But the baby was
not minded to be put down. The
squawling recommended. Carl took it
up again. but the %squawling being re.
: newed he repeated the process again
and again. In other words, he was
obliged to keep the baby in his arms.
About moor the child fell asleep IN
his shoulder. and he laid it in it's
crib.
1t was now time to get the dinner,
| and Carl congratulated himself upon
the baby being eliminated from the
problem. Gretchen had put some ba.
: con in n dish and some potatoes
which he was to fry in another. This
was all the cooking he was to do. and
he had told her that he had often done
it while camping and would have no
, trouble. He sliced the potatoes and
the bacon and when he considered the
!, fire hot enough set the pans contain.
ing them on it. having first heated
some fat for the potatoes.
Both the bacon and the potatoes be
gan to sizzle. and Carl was turning the
latter when the baby woke up. The
child cried to be taken up. but Car
: couldn't we'll leave his cooking. so he
let it lie till he was afraid it would
burst a blood vessel. when he went tt
> it, a greasy fork in one hand and O
, towel in the other. and tried to soothe
> 1t. But the baby screamed harder and
harder, as much as to say IF you don't
take me up I'll commit suicide IL
: spasms." Carl tried to coax it, then
losing his patience. scolded. Neither
had any effect.
Meanwhile the fire was getting very
hot. and suddenly the fat used in cook
: ing the potatoes caught fire and threat
e ened the destruction Of the house
. Carl tried to blow out the blaze. Fail
ing in this. he seized a cloth and tried
to fan it out. Then the baby ceased
crying. and Carl. suspecting something
wrong. looked at and saw that it was
making n of those gasps for breath
| hohioo ~ool>1 Io%-roo- -,--1 RI. 1865