The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1880-12-04
A GREAT, TALL FELLOW.

L had known my sister.in law Adeline
Eliza in desultory way ever since nv
fourteenth birthday-June Is, 1872
when | was brought home from board
ing-school to be present at her marriage
to my eldest brother; but never until
that dreadful Fourth of July, 1877, had
had the slightest idea of her extra
ordinary capability and endurance as a
story-teller. Nor do I suppose should
ever have known of them-our ways in
life lying far apart-had not Adeline
E iza's annual visit to New York hap
pened at the very time [ had my first
serious quarrel with Gabriel Haviland.
That occurred the evening before the
aforementioned anniversary of the
declaration of American independence,
md was about-dear me!-the silliest
ching. Looking back, it seems almost
impossible to believe that we could have
oeen so extremely foolish as to quarrel
as we actually did But I'll tell you
all about it, and you can judge for your
self. Gabriel had been reading aloud
from some English paper or other-the
SATURDAY ReUiew, if l remember Alright
An article entitled Mothers in Law
aad as he laid down the paper he said:
. fully agree with the writer that the
jokes many of them very stupid ones
at the expense of mothers-in- law have
oeen carried quite far enough, and
also agree with her"
"Or him." suggested.
or him, that there are lots OF
plendid women among them, but al
the same time / must confess that ia
prefer home without mother-in-
law"
Now had been an orphan ever since
[ was five years OF age, and what pos
sessed me to feel SO angry at Gabriels
remark | cannot imagine; but angry
was, and with flushed cheeks and flash
ing eyes | raised my head from his
shoulder-of course we were engaged
and asked, indignantly, Do you mean
to say you would not have liked my
mother!"
Nothing of the Sort said he, with
smile. q know I should have liked
her. She must have been charming, to
have had SO charming daughter"
But refused to return his smile, and,
with head very erect, went on: But
you would not have shared your home
with her?"
"No, darling, frankly, I would not"
"Then.I would never have lived with
you if you refused to allow my mother
to be one of the household" cried I.
"Ah, your affection for me must be
deep indeed,n said he, with provoking
GOODNESS. but in spite of your touch
ing declaration, my dear, ! still repeat,
no mother-in- law in my house. I've
seen too much ofthat arrangement in my
own family. A man may be good fel-
,oy. and his wife's mother may be q
good fellow, while apart, but bring them
together under the same roof, and in
ninety-nine cases out of a hundred fire
and gunpo WIDER would be amiable com
panions in comparison"
"Other families might be better
tempered than yours" said /, with an
attempt at sarcasm. 8 Mine might
be-"
mo mother-iu-law, my love-" was
Gabriel's sole reply.
"Then no Caroline Brewer" said l.,
in a perfect rage. And what's more,
YOU needn't wait any longer. ! won't
90 to your sisters. So there, now!'
Every well" (why do people say
Very well when they mean quite the
contraryP). And at last, really pro-
voked, my lover seized his hat, and was
gone in flash.
Did you ever hear OF sillier quar-
rel, taking into consideration. as | said
before, that had no mother. and, as
didn't say before, Gabriel was also
motherless?
The bells were ringing merrily when
l awoke the next morning Ct had shut
out the moon, and cried myself to sseeE
the night before), and when drew UP