The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1880-04-22
HIS FIVE MOTHERS.

CouAAOuly ChlACuj, VI DOolOu, uNclt Ill
peace and comfort for several years with
five ladies bearing that relation to him.
When first knew the old gentleman
he appeared to be about fifty, but was
IN reality sixty-cight, and had charm
ing wife, who was then twcnty-six, and
two lovely children, a boy and girl ,one
seven and the other five. His other chill
drcn by his first wife were all married,
and some of his grandchildren were also
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 took my place at the dinner table
with Mrs. B., was surprised to see
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 third
mother, Mrs. James my fourth mother,
Mrs. Williams; my fifth mother, Mrs.
John"
"Mrs. B., senior" who seemed the
youngest of the old lauies, laughed aloud
at my look Of CONSERVATION melodious
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 tendcrly
assisted upstairs by her own son. On
his return Mr.. B. said to me with a
smile Of amusement:
II see you arc; as the ladies say, dying
to know what It all means. purposelY
did not tell you that have five mother
IN laws, because like to see the effect
produced by my household on other peo-
pic. You, for instance, live so different,
ly, alone; how do we appear to vou?'
Harmonious and happy; but I have
seen you together a very short time.
What is your everyday experlcncc?''
"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 all? 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 our
house. Now, as my wife is just going
to her little ones nursery, I will tell you
about my old ladies.
"Wllen I 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 supported
herself and her child by school teaching
and sewing for several years, and she
seemed to greatly enjoy my comfortable
home--I was always a thriving man of
business. So one day I said to her. Now
mother, there is 10 reason why you
shouldn't make your home with us al.
ways while you live; you can bring your
own furniture, 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 $50 year
for your clothes Chat was an ample sum
for woman to have all to herself in
those tines. You can teach if you wish
to, or do any thing else to earn money if
you wish to; you will always be welcome
to our table and cur parlor; or, if you
prefer, you can cook for yourself in your
own room. Only one thing 1 will exact
in return, you must never make any
mischief or quarrel with any one in my
house about anything. And if some
times you arc displcased you must 60 to
your own room and poat it out alone,
and only join US again when you teel
pleasant. For l won't be worried, and
least of all will have my wife worried
by anybody. Now, mother what do you
say?'
"She only said you are good man,
Solomon B., and the almighty will
reward you, and thank you from my
heart. I will do my part
$50 never had any trouble with her.
We all lived together twenty years, and
then my wife had an attack of pncuilo-
MIA and died-all Massachusetts women
have weak lungs-and soon after nv
mother was lett a widow and came to
me. My mother is only sixteen years
older than ana, and being so lively and
smart she seems quite like young sis
ter to mother Henry, and they got on
easily together. But after a while, when
the children were all about grown, got
so lonesome that I coaxed real nice
sensible lady, of Philadelphia, not hand
some, but just as good as gold, to marry
me. I told her all about my old ladies
and found that she had two mothers liv-
ing with her, her own mother and her
husbands mother. They had neither of
them any property, but she owned
house, and took boarders in it to support
them all.
swell, made the same proposition to
her old ladies that I made to my mother
in-law, and they both agreed. Then I
went home, and soon brought my Sec
ond wife and her mothers here. We had
some occasional pouting at first, but I
always held two points without yielding
Il was the master in my own house, and
I would never let anybody worry nv
wife. So pretty SOON my four finland
learned to travel smoothly on all to-
gether.
"Ah, me! I looked forward to q
happy old age with that dear wife,
but alas! in. two years she was killed
by railroad accident. I was
with her on the train, and was badly
hurt, lying for weeks in state of uncon-
seriousness. When recovered, my dear
wife's grave was green. felt so bad and
my health was so poor that did not care
for woman again till all my children
were married, and was left alone with
my four old ladies. Then met pretty
little romantic widow, who was $50 sorry
for you!' she wrote poetry and painted
pictures, and was dying all the, while Of
consumption-that scourge of our city
and I thought as she had struggle to
take care of herself and her husbands
mother, I could smooth her passage to
the grave.
$50 married her and her mothcr-I
mean-well, you know what I mean. I
treated her mother-in. law just as 1 did