---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - Israelsen, O. W.
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 22
number: 9
published: 1919-07
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'Israelsen, O. W., "Irrigation and Education—V," *Improvement Era* 22, no. 9 (July 1919): 803.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2209unse
  transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers.
  identifier: improvementera2209unse
start_page: 803
end_page: 803
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1919-07)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2209unse
  publication_year: 1919
  note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1919, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright.
---

# Irrigation and Education—V

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An Adventure in the Life of Mr. Horatio
         Algerion Hardcastle, Burglar
                         By Everett Spring

    Mr. Horatio Algerion Hardcastle, more intimately known
as "Hardy," was by nature both methodical and industrious, yet
there was a something lacking in his makeup.
    A  touch of genius, a little of originality, and he might have
        —            —                 —
gone far might even who shall say i have climbed to the slippery heights of company promotion. But the unkind fates ordained otherwise. Partly by force of circumstances, partly from
preference, he had in early life adopted the same line of business
as his father before him. He used the same tools, the same cautious though antiquated methods, and at times met with similar
reverses.
     The last of these had resulted in an enforced residence in
a salubrious part of the country for a couple of years, all expenses paid.
    He left that pleasant and healthy retreat on a bright day,
shaking the dust from his shoes, metaphorically speaking, as he
passed the entrance gates.
     Though not strictly a moneyed man, and in spite of the fact
that the name of his banker is not to be found in the directory
among the list of the heads of other great financial houses, yet
from somewhere best known to himself, Mr. Hardcastle undoubtedly obtained coin of the realm.
     "Got 'old of a bit o' splosh," as he tersely and lucidly expressed it.
     The next whole week he devoted entirely to the process of
                —
"losin' 'isself," in other words, in evading the impertinent
curiosity of  the police. This having been successfully accomplished, and Mr. Hardcastle having found a convenient and
congenial residence, he spent yet more pleasant weeks in simple
and harmless amusements. He would, in fact, have willingly
prolonged the period, had not his landlord suggested that he
would prefer payment to promises; and, more important still,
had not Mr. Hardcastle discovered that the necessary amount of
"splosh" was not forthcoming to administer to his own personal
comforts.
     That was on a Thursday, and on that same evening there