Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1876-06-17

people? thought of Fanny, her good
looks, her intelligence, her affectionate
nature, and found myself wondering
what her future was to be. But here we
are. There she was waiting to meet me.
dear child; but there was some one with
her, most Misunderstanding in
dividual, with very prominent ewes
and large whiskers. Why did not INV
heart sink with a melancholy forebod-
ing?
How glad she was too see me again.
she introduced her companion to me as
Mr.. jenkins; and whereas / was all
anxiety to be alone with her, Mr.. Jen-
kins, with great flourish of politeness,
walked all the way home with us. Be-
fore could unite the strings of my bon
net he told me that Fanny had promised
to marry him. | was thunder-struck,
having in the annoyance of his presence
forgotten my forebodings of half an hour
before. had read with much attention,
in various highly lauded books, of the
great and imperative duty OF bringing up
girl to be a heIpmeet for a noble man
this dapper little maniken! He seemed
amiable, but so utterly Insignificant. He
had uninteresting parents, aud weak,
plain sisters, all of whom made perpet-
ual amusement Of the engagement. My
parlor was given up to them entirely
That is, to him and his sisters. 1 seemed
always s'detrop" when 1 entered, by the
sudden silence which followed the ami
mated talk. My coming was an inter-
ruption. l began to sit up stairs. l al
ways walked alone.
Having avoided all society and all ac-
quaintanceship when my children were
young, that might devote my whole
time to them, found myself now friend
less and desolate. Friends, like plants,
must be cultivated. found no congen-
iality in either OF the two families with
whom my children were connecting
themselves.
After two years they were married !;
and after year of boarding, aspired to
the dignity Of keeping house. After
looking at many dwellings one was Sc
lected, one which required great many
repairs, and now my services were i'm
very great request; L attended to all the
directions Mr.. jenkins wished given to
the workmen; L stayed i'm the cold
empty rooms all day, when there was
nothing to sit on but an empty candle
DoN. l did the necessary quarreling
with plumbers, and bore the snubbing
of the upholsterers and put the furni-
ture In the places thought best, by de-
grees changing it all to suit his tastes.
washed all the china and glass; and
sometimes fancied, when l got dirty do
ing all this, that was happy. / had so
long been accustomed to work for those
L loved that it was hard to learn that
there might be any reprOach connected
with it. must do Fanny the justice to
say that she was very kind and grateful
to me.
On the last day, after having some cold
tea out of a pitcher on the corner of a
mantel piece, L overheard Mr.. Jenkins,
who had brought friend i'm to admire
his new dwelling, say:
"Well, the carpets are down, the furni-
ture is all here, and think now when
We get our servants, and engage baker
and milkman, and are entirely rid of the
mOther-in-law, we shall be ready to
move in."
Both my children married. | had my
solitary little house.to myself, and very
solitary it was. L tried to get up some
spasmOdic friendships with my neigh
bOrs, but being hollow, these forced in
timacies soon fell through. But ought
not to complaint; it is the way OF the
world.
only wonder if, considering the love
we have. for our children, young or old.
the world is not apt to be little hard
upon the mOther-in- law.