, 1881-09-23

ness is the nature of mankind. Get well,
be able to entertain visitors, ana your
guests visits will not be hurried.
The next morning the young wife
awoke i'll IN mind as well as body The
long hours dragged along, no friends
came to cheer the poor invalid, only
polite messages of inquiry respecting
her health. She felt desolate and for
saken. Suddenly faintness came over
her; her eyes closed, and she became un-
conscious. When She recovered she
saw a sad, gentle face bending over her
This lovely old lady could not be
mother-in-law. She then heard the ques-
ton:
HAS the poor child no friend, that
thus find her alone when she requires
woman's care?"
Mother" was the reply in her hus-
bands voice, "are you not old enough
to know that the world is seltish?"
Then she realized that the dreadful
mother-in-l law had arrived. Presently she
heard her husband say:
Il will now leave you, and am sure
YOU will be able to take better care OF
Grace than can, for do not understand
her sudden illness"
my son" was the reply, "you should
cheer your sick wife; and not sadden her
by unkind speeches.
The door closed, and they were alone.
The old lady embraced her dauShter-ln-
law, and said:
MY child. do not fret over those fool
ish words of Harry's men are not so SEN
sitive as we, and he did not intend to be
upkind. Now tell me what has prostrat-
\ Ill h1t are
/ enduring mental anxiety. do not think
/ nv boy can treat you harshly, for l al
| ways taught him that it was uumanly to
! be unkind to woman. Contide i'll me,
I nv child, and tell me the cause of your
{ unhappiness."
| The young wife's reply was to thow her
arms around the speakers neck and sob
out these words:
do not speak so kindly, for l must
make confession that may change your
affection to dislike"
Grace" was the reply. II will spare
you the humiliation of any explanation
by uttering one word; that word Is
mOther-in-law. Eou dreaded my arrival
in the light of a social monster. And
now we will change the subject, for you
are too weak to talk. have made you
some Jelly, and You must endeavor to
eat it, then try and rest, and will soon
return.
A few hours later Mrs. Hazelton en-
tered the room. She gently approached
! the bed, and glanced at the young wife's
pale cheek; she looked but a child as she
slept, She moved uneasily, and softly
murmured, mother She was dream
! ing of the dead.
| A tear fell on her upturned face.
| She awoke and for u moment imagined
/ that her mother had come from heaven
to watch over her child; but it was her
mother-in-law who bent over her and
shed the tear of sympathy, and it was on
her mother in-law's breast that she
/ sobbed out her childish grief.
"Now, my DEAR" cried the old lady,
''you must not become morbid; try and
! set up; have laid the table in the sit
| ting so we will surprise Harry
when he comes home with company to
! dinner"
When the husband returned he was
surprised at the wonderful recovery oi
mis- wife.
"Why, mother" he exclaimed, ''you
must be witch"
l--Rut the -daughter-inla la~i -ansWered
mo, she's an angel. With noble forbear
ance she refused to hear the confession
of my ignorant prejudice against her
but / must acknowledge my fault
Harry, my illness was caused by grie
at the idea OF receiving your deal
mother"
'.My child" replied Mrs. Hazelton
"do not reproach yourself. When Wal
your age almost hated my husband
mother, and in after years We had man.
learned to love my nother-in-law will
true affection, for she was a nobl
woman"
Five years passed away. Grace Hazel
ton knew both JOY and sorrow. She wa
mother-death claimed her babe-sh
stood by its tiny coffin bowed down b,
grief 1t was the mother-in-law VIII
shared her sorrow and taught he
resignation to the will of God. Nov
other little ones enliven her fireside, an,
it is a mother-in-law who shares her Joy