Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1875-06-30
rlOrHER-IN.Law.

III therc's ono class of would-be-
witty scribblers ! condemn more than
onofher.1 said Mr.. nrh IN. -Is,s tiiUse
fe:iowswhU arc CONTINUALLY flinging
bad jokes at mothers-in law. Why, sir,
l shudder at what my home might
have become had 1t not have been for
Mrs. Browns mother. l offered her
homo when married En-; but the
good soul wouldn't accept it-ssid
young married folks ought to be alone
the first year, in order to find out each
others fault, foibles, and SO fOrth-a
piece Of sound wisdom, by the way !;
wish all mothers in law would make
a note ofit.' Well, sir, when Em was
in peck oftrouble about young Mas
ter Tom, who did nothing, for the first
month of his existence, but yell like a
brave, and when tho nurse quarreled
with the cook and left the house, that
blessed mother of ours brought her
trunk to the house, and without wait
ing to take off her bonnet, took that
young savage in her arms, patted him
on the back, went through some other
mysterious manenvers, and lo!. peace
cnsued. And that was the beginning
of her usefulness, sir. She nursed Em
back to health helped hcr to take care
Of her baby; looked after the servants
in her quiet way, and detected the
cook In selling butter aud eggs from
our pantry discovered half 4 dozen
spoons in the chambermaid' g bed and
In fact, put a stop to imposition gener-
ally. And as for the lessons of econ
omy and practical wisdom she taught
En-! Why, sir,onr expenses were re-
duced one-ha!f. You see, young peo-
pie need an adviser, or else everybody
imposes on them for it is pretty well
known that old heads don't grow on
young shoulders. And though moth
er has temper Of her own, and is q
little fussy, We don't mind it.; she
comes round all right in an hour or 40.
No, cir, I've no sympathy with men
who traduce mother-in -law--as class,
l moan, of course; there arc excep.
ttons to all rules. just treat your
mother-in-law as though she was your
own mother contide In her don't ro-
sent her littlo peculiarities; and, my
word for il. you'll have. your reward !"
Thus says Mr.. Brown, and 1t is high
time. that similar testimony should be
given by other Benedicts, for mothers
in-lsw have long horne An unmeritedl
loadof Opprobrium. Why should ira
ditional drollery be allowed to blind
rs to the patient, good, unsslfish w0-
men who often take mp the burdens of
life again In marriage Of her children !?
Who has not seen tho mother-in in Jaw
on duty az sick.nursc? How often che
ia the the guardian angel that hovers
around, and wards of danger and
misery? How often her bosom is the
pillow on which Q child seeks repose
again, when tho dream Of life has
gone by contraries, and tho poor heart
wakes up disenchanted and broken !
How often the mother-in- law il the
one link connecting tho family with
respectAbility, comfort and sympathy
How often widowed Ruth has dwell
In safety with her mother-in- Jaw |!
How often the widower has blessed
God that his wifes mother remained
whom his wife was taken! Ii 1t ia
sometimes otherwise, the fact IL 10 be
traced to error and folly one side or
the other. He who marries wisely
must think beforehand, that no must
sustain somo kindly relations to the
family of his wifo. and he who 10 NOT
willing to bend little and make things
pleasant, and allow for the tastes and
feelings Of others, 10 not yet fit 10 be d
good husband or wise father.