Lincoln County advocate. (Canton, Dakota Territory, [S.D.]) 1876-1877, 1877-04-18
From Harper's Bazaar
Sues Mother-in-Law
BY ROSE TERRY COOKE.

BY ROSE TERRY COOKE.
"Oh, nanny, if he only were an
orphan, I would say, yes tomorrow;
but hate the idea of mother-in-law. u
"You might poison her, my dear, "
dryly remarked Mrs. De Groot, stately
old lady, with snow-white hair, and any
amount of Mechlen lace about her
throat and wrists over her soft black
silk dress.
"But really, you dreadful old dear,
you know it will be awful" sighed Sue,
passing her little hands YEARLY through
the dark fringes above her forehead.
"My DEAR" said Mrs. De Groot, "you
are speaking in q very ill-bred way;
but let that rest. I have no idea you
will ever be troubled with Mr.. Grey's
mother. You will not marry him. A
girl who is daunted by mother-in-law
does not love, the son enough to marry
him."
Sues pretty face flushed. Poor little
soul she had never known what love
was; but she liked Mr.. Grey well
enough; he was rich, kindly, pleasant
man whom she had always known:
and when he asked her to marry him,
she did not know why she should re-
fuse. She hated to hurt his feelings;
and suddenly she remembered his
mother, disagreeable old lady, who
ruled and reigned over all her family,
and only did not tyrannize over John
because he lived the life of bachelor
in the city and boarded at hotel.
But here was reason for Sue, and
her mothers words sank deeply into
her consciousness. She gathered cour-
age to say no, and q year after found
herself absorbed, heart and soul, in a
real love affair, and accepted Harry
Tempest, a young but rising lawyer,
with kind, generous, frank nature,
and dark, handsome face, without re-
membering that he had not only q
mother, but q widowed mother, who
lived with him, and could not possibly
be ignored or set aside, since Harry
was an only child. 1t is true, Sue had
never seen her, for during her six
months acquaintance with Harry,
Mrs. Tempest had been at the west
nursing q sister who was at deaths
door with consumption; and if Harry
had not said much about her to Sue, it
was that other and more absorbing
themes naturally occupied them.
Mrs. De Groot smiled when Susan
laid her fair head in her lap and recit-
ed to her the tale of her engagement,
for she had seen the end from the be-
ginning, and had shed her own tears
privately. She had other children be-.
sides Sue; but this was her darling, her
baby, her pet always; and such a pang
rs mothers know went through her
heart when she saw the inevitable sep
aration approaching, but she had the
courage and the goodness to smile and
sympathize when the girl poured out
this genuine passion, and threw herself,
with bushes and tears, into the arms
that could never fall her while they
were instinct with life.
After the confidence was done with,
and Sue had quieted both tears and Joy,
Mrs. De Groot bethought herself of the
last time there had been such an af-
fair, or the likeness of it, on the carpet,
and said, with the quaintest smile and
accent, at once gentle and mischievous,
Has Mr.. Tempest q mother, Sue ?"
ooh yes She isn't here now.
never saw her. She is in Chicago with
her sister,"
"What are you going to do about
herr" asked her mother.
"Oh, nanny, I never thought about
her; and she lives with him. How
sorry am! But I guess she will be
NICE"
"she may be very nice to Harry,
my dear. So was MIR. Grey's mother
to him."
"I'm sure she can't be so disagree
able as old Mrs. Grey, pouted Sue, who
was a little spoiled, to tell the truth.
"susan," said Mrs. DeGroot, with
considerable gravity, II want you to
look this thing in the face. You are a
young girl going to new home, with
new people whom as yet you know
nothing about. Now take little bit
of advice. Look at yourself, not at
Mrs. Tempest, when you come to live
together. You know you have had an
easy life, with nobody to thwart your
plans and purposes. Now begin to see
if you are really lady or only pre-
Tense"
"You think ought to bear every
thing, do you NANNY, and never peep
Or,mutter p -.".
5lr No; but I want you to treat your
mother-in-law as one lady should treat
another. Don't recriminate if she talks
at you, for that is vulgar-ill bred in
the extreme. Don't give up your just
position either with your husband or
in the family. Respect yourself, Sue,
and you force respect from others"
ooh dear! I wish there weren't apy
mothers-in-law in the world !" peevishly
calculated the girl. 1s~t..
Then / should be extezminated
with the rest, " smiled her mother.
: But you are so different, mamma"
/ had an awful lesson, Sue, when /
was young. You know your Uncle
Tom married Posy Schuyler when he
was very young man, and she was
only seventeen-just my own age.
You remember her picture in the H.
brary at the Hills Z" y
!" Oh, yes, that lovely, delicate little
creature with hair like spun gold, and
great dark eyes, and such q bud Of q
mouth, half smiling like pleased
baby's."
That is her very counterfeit. She
was the loveliest creature I ever saw,
Her father died before she was born.
and her mother only lived for the