Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1873-09-11

40. AS last Oegan to think i ought
to return to Fanny; and seeing James
fairly convalescent sought the train
for ny journey homeward. Sitting in
the railroad car, party of young peo-
pie took places in front of me, laugh
ing and talking with eager animation,
principslly about persons knew moth
ing of except by name. Presently one
of them began to talk of my SON 5
wife,
Il used to see a great deal of them
at one time,'' said she; but
but what ?" asked another.
"Oh well, they had a mother-in-
law raging around lately, so have
kept away"
$50 Have IL
Here Followed laugh of derision.
IA nother-in law % exclaimed an
other; 4that is hard. 1 do pity them
indeed'l
"ButI hear she is off now"
''Glad to hear it. Have you heard
the new opera ?"
/ was. the mother in law on whose
account friends kept away 1 remem-
bered the weary nights in that sick
room the weary days, when suffering
from the loss of sleep, struggled to
keep. my eyes open, that might at
tend to various little household du-
ties. arranged rooms, then carefully
attended baby. Which of all this was
tue raging around" which excited
the risible muscles of those lively
young people? thought of Fanny,
her good looks, her intelligence, her
affectionate nature, and found myself
wondering what her nature was to be.
But here we are. There she was wait
ing to meet me, dear child: but there
was some one with her, a most insig,
nificant individual, with very promi,
nent eyes and large whiskers. Why
did my heart sink with melancholy
foreboding?
How glad she was to see me again
She introduced her companion to me
as Mr. Jenkins; and whereas l was all
anxiety to be alone with her, Mr.. Jen-
kins, with a great flourish of polite
ness, walked all the way home with
us. Before could unite the strings
of my bonnet he told me that Fanny
had promised to marry him! l was
thunderstruck, having in the annoy
ance of his presence forgotten my
foreboding of half an hour before.
/ had read with much attention in
the various highly lauded books, OF
the great and imperative duty ofbring-
ing up girl to be helpmeet for no
bic man-this dapper little maniken ?
I Il III Trrk ITyy
significant! He had uninteresting pa
rents, and weak, plain sisters, all ot
whom made perpetual amusement OF
the engagement. Ny parlor was given
to them entirely-that is to him and
his sisters l seemed always de trop
when / entered, judging by the sud-
den silence which followed the anima-
ted talk. My coming was an interrup-
ton. began to sit up stairs T al
ways walked alone.
AS avoided all society and all &C
quaintanceship when my children were
young, that might devote my whole
time to them, l found myself nov
iriendless and desolate. Friends, likt
plants, must be cultivated. l founC
no congeniality in either of the two
families with which my children wer
connecting themselves.
After two years they were married
AMI after a year of boarding aspire,
to the dignity of keeping house. AT
ter looking at many dwellings, on
was selected, one that required a grea
many repairs, and now my service
were in very great request: l ATTENDED
to all the directions Mr.. Jenkin
wished given to the workmen;
stayed in the cold, empty rooms al
day, when there was nothing to sit o.
but an empty candle box; did th
necessary quarreling with the plumb
ers, and kore the snubbing of the up
holsterers and / put the furniture i
the place thought best by degrees
changed it all to suit his taste an
washed all the china and glass; an
sometimes fancied, when I got yer
dirty doing all this, that was happy
l had so long been accustomed t,
work for those / loved, that it wa
hard TO learn that there might be an
reproach connected with it. mus
do Fanny the justice to say, that sh
was very kind and grateful to me.
On the last day, after having som
; cold tea out of pitcher on the corne
of mantle piece, overheard Jenkir
who had brought friend to admir-
his fine new kwelling say:
''Well, the carpets are down, tn
furniture Is all here, and 1 think no
when we get our servants, and engas
baker and milkman, and are el
tirely rid of the mother in-law, v
shall be ready to move in." J"
Both my children married, l hs
! my solitary little house to myself, an
very solitary it was. tried to get L
some spas nodic friendship with m
neighbors. but being hollow, thes
; forced intimacies soon fell throug
: But ought not to complain; it is tt
way of the world. only wonder
: considering the love we have for o.
: children, young or old, the world
not apt to be a little hard upon Il
mother in law.