PORTRAITS AND BIOGRAPHIES. 343 



u The horses miss her kindly ministrations if she is 

 absent from home, as it is no uncommon occurrence for 

 her to groom and care for five of them while the girl pre- 

 pares the breakfast. I have been much amused at the 

 impression some have who have never met the lady, but 

 have heard of her exploits, and pictured her out in their 

 own mind as of Amazonian proportions, and very much 

 of a Bohemian, when, really, she is a dainty bit of femi- 

 ninty, weighing 100 pounds, wearing a No. i shoe, and so 

 slight in build that when she mixes or kneads her whole- 

 some bread (which is the envy of her neighbors) she is 

 oblighed to place her bread-bowl on a chair. She is a 

 woman with a style so gracious, mild, gentle and refined 

 that no position in society would find her at a loss. She 

 has, to my knowledge, ploughed a man's stint and then 

 drove eight miles to deliver a lecture on the capabilities of 

 woman, (herself the best exponent of her doctrine) . The 

 careful training she has given her son, superintending his 

 education, entering into his boyish sports and ambitions 

 has made the mother and son companions. Although 

 Mrs. Harden is a general favorite wherever known, yet 

 she has no more ardent admirers or appreciative, con- 

 genial associates than husband and son. 



u Mr. Harden is in full sympathy with her on the 

 woman question, and while tender and solicitous of her 

 comfort, yet realizes that it is her privilege to spend her 

 time according to her own tastes and desires. For years 

 they held opposite political views, but since they began 

 farming, and thinking and reading of the interests of the 

 farmer they have joined hands on the broad platform of 

 the Farmers' Alliance, working earnestly for all measures 

 which tend to the benefit of the farmer and give to agri- 

 culture an uplift that will elevate the tiller of the soil and 

 give him the position he so richly deserves. " 



