Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1880-04-23

/ w
n the city with the streets OF gold; 4 -
SAFE, sats from the cares Of the weary years,
from SORROW. and sin. and war.
ana thank my God with falling tears
For the things in the bottom drawer.
| HIS FIVEMOTHERS.
Important to the Married -how an Exeu
Plary Man Lived Happily With Fiv
MOthers-in-Law.
! Sacramento Bee.l
Most husbands and wives, if we ma
credit all they say, find it difficult t
live in the same hous: ". tn u mother-in
law, but "old Sol B. Gas he wa
commonly called), of Boston, dwelt il
peace and comfort for several years will
five ladies bearing that relation to him
When first knew the old gentleman
he appeared to be about fifty, but wa
IN reality sixty-eight, and had u charm
ing wife, WHO was then twenty-six, ane
two lovely children, a boy and a girl, ont
seven and the other five. His other chill
dren by his first wife were all married
and some of his grandchildren were alst
married, and themselves had children
older than Mr.. BIS two youngest.
On the first day Of my visit at his pleas
ant home, not many miles from Boston
as l took my place at the dinner table
with Mrs. b, was surprised TO SCI
five old ladies come into the room to-
gether and be introduced as follows
my own mother, Mrs. B, senior
my next mother, Mrs. Henry; my thlr6
mother, Mrs. James; my fourth mother
Mrs. Williams; my fifth mother, Mrs
john"
| "Mrs. B., senior" who seemed the
youngest of the old laoies, laughed alouo
at my look of consternation-am elodious
voice for one of her years-and everyone
smiled but Mr.. B, who invoked the
blessing with the usual air and led the
table talk on in different topics. That
evening in the parlor young Mrs. B.
gave us some music, and the old ladies
retired one after the other, the Gown mo-
ther" going last, when she was tenderly
assisted upstairs by her own son. On
his return Mr.. B. said to me with q
smile of amusement:
81 see you are: as the ladies say, dying
to know what it all means. I purposely
did not tell you that I have five mother.
IN laws, because I like to see the effect
produced by my household on other PEG.
pie. You, for instance, live so different
ly, alone; how do we appear to you2':
harmonious and happy; but l have
seen you together very short time
What is your everyday experlence9''
| "Much the same; especially since my
dear wife came into our household.
had all the dear old ladies when she ar.
rived"
"But where did you get them all2 they
cannot all belong to you"
eyes, every one OF them. I 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 ou
house. Now, as my wife is just going
to her little ones nursery, will tell YOU
about my old ladies.
"When I married my first wife, he
mother, who was widow, came to liv'
with US. She was good creature, and hat
seen pretty hard times, having supported
herself and her child by school teaching
and sewing for several years, and sh'
seemed to greatly enjoy my comfortable
home-I was always a thriving man O
business. So one day said to her. Nov
mother, there is no reason why 20,
shouldn't make your home with US al
ways while you live; you can bring you
own furniture, if you choose, or you neet
not; the room You now occupy shall b.
your own always, and besides what m,
wife may do, will give you $50 yea
for your clothes Chat was an ample sun
for woman to have all to herself il
those timesl. You can teach if you wisl
to, or do any thing else to earn money i
you wish to; you will always be welcom
to our table and cur parlor; or, if yo'
prefer, you can cook for yourself in you
own room. Only one thing will exac
in return, you must never make an,
mischief or quarrel with any one in m;
house about anything. And if some
times you are displcased you must 90 t.
your own room and poat it out alone
and only join us again when you tee
pleasant. For won't be worried, an,
least Of all will have my wife worried
by anybody. Now, mother what do yo1
say?'
''She only said you are good man
Solomon B., and the almighty viii
reward you, and I thank you from m,
heart. will do my part
$50 I never had any trouble with he,
We all lived together twenty years, all,
then my wife had an attack of pneumo
MIA and died-a all Massachusetts womel
have weak lungs-and soon after m,
mother was lett a widow and came t
me. Ny mother is only sixteen year
older than am, and being SO lively ant
smart she seems quite like young sis
ter to mother Henry, and they got OF
easily together. But after while, whel
the children were all about grown, I 60
so lonesome that I coaxed real mic
sensible lady, of Philadelphia, not hand
some, but just as good as gold, to MARI
me. told her all about my old ladia
and found that she had two mothers liy
ing with her, her own mother and he
husbands mother. They had neither G
them any property, but she owned
house, and took boarders in it to suppol
them all.
swell, made the same proposition t
her old ladies that I made to my mother
in-law, and they both agreed. Then
went home, and soon brought my sex
ond wife and her mothers here. We ha
some occasional pouting at first, but
always held two points without yieldin
Il was the master in my own house, an
I would never let anybody worry m
wife. So pretty SOON my four-in-han
; learned to travel smoothly on all t.
: gether. u =. : =. = ...., -..-1
Yah, mel I. looked forward Ito
: happy old age with that dear VIII
but alas! in two years she was kille
by a railroad accident. I w
{ with her on. the train, and was bad
hurt, lying for weekssin state Of unco
9 seriousness. When recovered, my de
! wife's grave was green. felt so bad al
: my health was SO poor that did not ca
81 for woman again till all my. ehildr,
! were married, and I was left alone wi
9 my four old ladies. Then met q prct
!. little romantic widow, who was $50 sor
q for YOUR she wrote poetry and paint,
q pictures, and was dying all the while
{ consumption scourge of our city
and thought as she had q struggle
!; take care Of herself and her husband
Q mother, could smooth her passage
. the grave. $.-5. .5s 81. Y
: $50 married her and her mother
: mean-well, you know what I mean.
q treated her mother-in law just as I ID
J. the other old ladies, and that wife liv
9 seven years after all. made her 30 hap
6 that. she adored me, and chad the swe,
= est baby ever seem Oh, what love
Z. creature that child Wasa little angel
q lshe only lived three wears. and then fad