Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-12-10
Els FIVE MOTHERS-IN-LAW
A REAL TRUE STORY.

Most husbands and wives, if we may
credit all they say, find it difficult to
live in the same house with mother in
law, but old Sol B Gas he was COM
monty cslled) of Boston, dwelt in peace
and comfort for several years with five
ladies bearing that relstion to him.
When I first knew the cid gentleman
he appeared to be about fifty, but was in
reality about sixty eight, and had
charming wife who was then twenty six
and two lovely children, boy and q
girl, one seven and the other five. His
children by his first wife were all mar
ried, and some of his grandchildren were
dren older than Mr.. BIS two young
est.
On the first day of my visit at his
pleasant home not many miles from Bos
ton, as l took my place at the dinner
table with Mrs. B, was surprised
to see Ave old ladies come into the loom
together andAo be introduced to each of
them in succession as follows: " My
own mother, Mrs. B, senior; my next
mother, Mrs. Henry; my third mother,
Mrs. James; my fourth mother, Mrs.
Williams; my fifth mother, Mrs. John"
Mrs. b. senior" who seemed the
youngest of the old ladies, laughed aloud
at my look of consternation-a melOdiOus
laugh for one of years-and every one
smiled but Mr.. B, who invoked the
blessing with his usual air and led the
table talk on different topics. That
evening in the parlor young Mrs. B
gave us some music, and the old ladies
retired early one after another, the Gown
mother" going last, when she was ten
derby assisted up stairs by her son. On
his return Mr.. B said to me with 8
smile of amusement:
g see that you are, as the ladies say,
dying to know what all this means.
/ purposely did not tell you that / have
like to see the effect produced by my
household on other people. You, for
instance, live 50 differently, all alone,
how do we appear to your
Harmonious and happy; but have
seen you together only a very short
time. What is your every day expert
enceT'
"Much the same, especially since my
dear wife came into our household.
I had all the old ladies when she ar
rived"
"But where did you get them all;
they cannot all belong to you"
Eyes, every one of them. l have
four mothers-in-law, and as my own
mother is my wife's mother-in-law, of
course that makes five mothers-in-law in
our house. Now, as my wife is just
going to her little ones nursery, will
tell you about my cid ladies'"
When 7 married my first wife, her
mother, who was widow, came to live
with us. She was good creature, and
had seen pretty hard times, having sup
ported herself by school teaching and
sewing for several years, and she seemed
to greatly enjoy my comfortable home
was always thriving man Of business.
So one day said to her, Now, mother,
there is no reason why you shouldn't
make your home with us always while
you live; you can bring your own fur
niture, If you choose, or you need not,
the room you now occupy shall be your
own always, and besides what my wife
may do [ will give you fifty dollars q
year for your clothes (that was an ample
sum for woman to have all to herself
In those times), You can teach if you
wish to, or do anything else to earn
money If you wish to; you will always
be welcome to our table and parlor, or it
you prefer, you can cook for yourself in
your own room. Only one thing | will
exact in return-you must never make
any mischief nor quarrel with anybody
in my house about anything. And if
sometimes you are displeased you must
90 to your room and pout it out alone,
and only join us again when you feel
pleasant. For I won't be worried, and
least of all will have myI wife worried
by anybody. Now, mother, what do you
say7"
She only said, You are good man,
Solomon B, and the Almighty will
reward you, and l thank you from my
heart. I will do my part"
So never had any trouble with her.
We all lived together twenty years, and
then nv wife had an attack of pnuemo.
mia and died-and soon after that my
own mother was left widow and came
to live with me. My mother is only
sixteen years older than L ana, and being
solively and smart she seemed quite like
younger sister to mother Henry, and
they got on easily together. But after
a while, when the children were all about
grown, got SO lonesome that L coaxed
real nice sensible lady, of Philadelphia.
not handsome, but just as good as gold,
to marry me. / told her all about my
old ladies and found she lad two moth