Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1875-08-25
s.. ROSENTHAL.

l have seldom seen a man who
seemed to love and revere wife's
mother as do you. How is IT,
Please explain"
81 WILL" he said rising and drag
ging his chair in doors, and sitting
down near me.
"When l married Maria Cool
idge," he began, 81 was as l am
now, an architect in good circum-
stances. i owned the house that
old Judge Hogarth lives in, had
two horses, and a wagon and car
riage, and a goodly amount OF
money loaned out on good notes
of responsible men. Maria had
often broached the subject Of our
housekeeping, and limited that the
house was too big for two. !
knew of course what she was
driving at, but always pretended
not to, and she never mustered
courage to suggest that her mother
live with us till after we were mar
ried, and on our way home from
our wedding tour, and I spent
money like a fool, and / wished
afterwards that we had staid at
home like sensible folks and saved
the money for time of need.
"Well, as I said before, we were
on our way home before Maria
came to the point, but l had been
expecting it all along and had my
mind made up. So when the ques-
ton came, Cant my mother live
with us?" ! answered very prompt
ly,-'Nop And / shall never for
get, as long as live, how Maria
looked. She turned as pale as
death, and as cold as stone, but she
never said q word. Then l went
on to explain to her that no house
was ever built large enough for
two women, and that we didn't
want third person around all the
time. / told her that l should Of
course take care of her mother,
and see that she never came to
want but that I'd seen enough of
mothers living with their daughters.
GAIL this time she never spoke,
but kept her eyes fixed upon me,
and such scorn and contempt i
never saw expressed by pair of
eyes. l had the advantage of her,
for we were in crowded car, and
she didn't want to make a scene.
/ was glad of it, too,-mcan, sneak
ing, cowardly devil that I was
But the strain was too great on
her, and she tainted dead away in
my arms.
"When we got home, | took a
hack and told the driver to drive
to the house on the hill, but Maria
cried so hard and begged so piteous-
" to be taken to her mothers that
l had to give in. We had to drive
right where we could see our own
house, and it was all lit up. l was
surprised to see it, and told the
driver VIC would go there and
see what was up. We drove up
to the front steps, and Mrs. Cool
idge came out to meet us, and
Maria threw herself into her arms
crying as If her heart would break
OF course / was very angry at such
an exhibition, but held my tenn
per and consoled myself, man-like,
by thinking that she would get
over 1t when she had cried it out.
"Mother Coolidge had supper al
ready, and In short time we were
all at the tablo but mono Of us
enjoyed the good cheer very heart.
lily. I was so mad / could scarcely
swallow, for thought il was a con.
trived plan on the old lady's par
to get foothold in my house, ant
I was swearing inwardly that hel
little plan should fail. Maria laugh
cd Historically all through th'
meal, and gulped down her food ant
tears together. Mother Cocliig'
iigited as II she sat on nettles, ant
guess we were all glad when w
could leave the table.