The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1875-07-21

"If there's one class of wonld-be
witty scribblers / condemn more than
another" said Mr.. Brown, Its those
fellows who are continually 6inging
bad jokes at mother in laws. Why,
sir, shudder at what my home might
have become had it not been for Mrs.
Browns mother. Iofered her . home
when / married EN-; but the good
soul wouldn't accept it-said young
married folks ought to lie alone the
6rst year, in order to find out each
others faults, foibles, and 20 forth-a
piece Of sound wisdom, by the way;
wish all mothers-in Law would make
note of it. Well, sir. when Em was
in peck of trouble about young Mas
first mouth of his existence. but yell
QuArreled with the cook and left the
house, that blessed mother of ours
brought her trunk to the house. and
without waiting to take of her bonnet,
took that young savage in her arms,
patted him on the back went through
some other mysterious maneuvers,
end 10 peace ensued. And that was
the beginning Of her usefulness, cir.
She nursed EN- back to health; helped
her take care of her baby; looked af.
ter the servants, in her quiet way, and
detected the cook in selling butter
and eggs from our pantry; discovered
half dozen of our spoons in the
chambermaid's bed; and, in fact, put
a stop to imposition generally. And
as for the lessons Of economy and
practical wisdom she taught En-
Why, sir. our expenses were reduced
to one half. You see. young people
need an adviser, or else everybody
imposes on them; for it is pretty we'll
known that old heads don't grow on
young shoulders. And though mother
has q temper OF her own, and is lit
tie fussy. We don't mind it; she comes
round all right in an hour or SO. No,
sir, I've NO sympathy with men who
traduce mothers.in-law-as class, l
mean, Of course; there are exceptions
to all rules. just treat your mother
in. law rs though che were your own
mother; confide in her; don't resent
her little peculiarities: and, my word
for it. you'll have your reward"
Thus says Mr.. Brown, and it is
high time that similar testimony
should be given by other Benedicts.
for lnothers-in- have long borne
an unmerited load of opprobium.
Why should traditional drollery be
allowed to blind us to the patient.
good, unselfsh women who often take
up the burdens of life again in the
marriage of their children? Who
has not seen the mother-in-law on
duty IS sick-nurse? How often she
is the guardian angel that hovers
around, and wards off danger and
misery! How often her bosom is the
pillow on which child seeks repose
again, when the dream of life has gone
by contraries, and the poor heart
wakes up disenchanted and broken
How often the mother-i in law is the
one link connecting the family with
respectability, comfort and sympathy
How often widow Ruth has dwelt in
safety with her mother in law! How
often the .widower has blessed God
that his wife's mother remained when
his wife was takenl Ifit is sometimes
otherwise, the fact is to be traced to
error and folly on one side or the
other. lie who marries wisely must
think beforehand, that he must sus-
tain some kindly relations to the fam
lily of his wife, and he who is not will
ing to bend . little and make things
pleasant, aud allow for the tastes and
feelings of others, is not yet fit to be
n good huAhaud or n wise father.