The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-04-30

OF them began to talk about my SOM
wife.
| used to SEQ a great deal OF then
at one time, she said, but
But what? asked another.
, Oh well, they had mother in
} law raging around lately, so I hav,
kept away.
SO have I.
I Here followed laugh of derison
A mother.in-law exclaimed
another, that is hard I do pity them
indeed
J But hear sho Is off now.
Glad TO hear it. Have you hears
the new opera.
| / was the mothcr.ln law on whose
account friends kept away. l re-
membered the weary nights in that
sick room Nss WexFy days. when
suffering from the loss OF sleep, /
struggled to keep my eyes open,
that l might attend to the various
little household duties. All this,
was the raging around which excited
the rislble muscles OF those lively
young people. l thought OF Fanny,
her good looks, her intelligence, her
atfectionate nature, was to be. But
here We are. There she was waiting
TO meet me, dear child; but there
was some one with her, most in.
significant looking individual, with
very prominent eyes and large
whiskers. Why did my heart sink
with a melancholy foreboding.
How glad she was to see me
again. She introduced her compan.
ion to me as Mr.. jenkins; and
whereas | was all anxiety to be alone
with her. Mr.. jenkins, with a great
flourish OF politeness, walked all the
wa,' home with us. Before l could
unite the strings of my bonnet, he
told me that Fanny had promised to
marry him. l was thunderstruck,
haying, in annoyance of his presence,
forgotten my torebodings Of half an
hour before. l had read with much
attention, in various highly lauded
books, of the great and imperative
duty of bringing up girl to bo a
helpmeet for noble man--this dap.
per little manlkin He seemed amia-
BILE, but so utterly Insignificant. lie
had unlntereating parents, and weak,
PLAIN sisters. all of whom made a
ment. My parlor WAS given up to
them entlrely-that is, to him and
his SISTERS. seemed always de trop
when entered, Judging by the sud
den silence which followed the ami.
mated talk. My coming was an
interruption. | began to sit up stairs
| always walked alone.
Having avoided all society and all
acqualntanceship when my children
were young, that l might devote my
whole tIma to them, / found myself
now iriendless an desolate. Friends,
like plants, must DO cultivated. |
found no congeniallty in either OF
the two families with which my
children were connecting themselves.
After two years they were marrl.
ed and after year OF boar ding as
pircd to the dignity OF keeping
house. After looking at many dwell
lngs one was selected, and which re
quired great many repairs, aud now
my services were III very great re
quest l attended to all the diree
tions Mr.. jenkins wished given te
the workmen l staid in the colo
empty rooms all day, when there
, was nothing to sit on but an empt!
candle box. I did the necessar,
, quarreling With the plumbers, AM
bore the snubbing OF the aphol
sterers and put the furniture il
!, the place l thought best, by degree
changing it all to suit his tastes.
wish all the china and glass; ant
. sometimes iancled, when l got dirt,
J doing all this, that l was happy.
, had so long been accustomed to wor
+ TOR those / loved that it was hard t
learn that there might be any rt
]. proach connected with it. / mus
do Fanny the justice to say that sh
I was very kind and grateful to me.
, On the last day, after having som
r cold tea out Of pitcher on the corn
!. or Of q mantelpiece, overhsar
!, Mr.. jenkins, who had brought
} friend IN to admire his new dwelling
| say.
: Well, tho carpets arc down tn
l furniture is all here, and ] think nov
, when we get our servants, and er
. gage baker and milkman, and ar
< shtirely rid of the mother in-law, W
shall be ready to move in.
I Both children married, had th