The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1881-12-09
CHOOSING A DAUGHTER-IN-L
BY RUTH RANSOM.

Its of no use," said Mrs. Eastwood
plaintively. II can never learn TO like
that girl. And if Felix marries her !
shall be-wretched o.
Felix Eastwood, a tall, handsome
young man, of three or four-and-twenty,
looked in dismay at his mother.
dearest mother" said he, "what is
the trouble with Madeline? am sure
she is all that is sweet and lovabler'
Felix Eastwood had committed q
fault that is not uncommon to man.
He was trying to make his mother see
through the medium of his own eyes.
He had fallen desperately in love with
a young beauty, proposed to her in the
fever-heat of the moment. and brought
her home to Eastwood Hall to receive
the maternal blessing. And Madeline
Westford. as theoretical and inexperi-
enced as was he himself, had never
doubted but that Felix's mother would
love her as tenderly and devotedly as
Felix had done.
She was pretty, blue-eyed girl. with
deep dimple i'll her cheek. lips as red
as coral, and profuseness of FURNISHED
golden hair, which floated over her
shoulders like cascade of yellow
brightness.
'.May call you mother?" said Mad
cline, prcttily, when she first came to
Eastwood Hall.
Certainly" said Mrs. Eastwood,
stiffiy. "But don't you think your hair
would be heater put up in net?"
"All the girls at school wore it So"
said Madeline, who was just graduated
from Madame Estelle's seminary for
young ladies. "And nobody sees net
nowadays"
"Those long, trailing dresses, too"
said Mrs. EASTWOOD, critically eying
the fan-shaped train of Madeline's
cream-colored serge dress. I'm the
country here we mostly wear our skirts
of a walking length"
Madeline looked doubtfullv down at
the lovely dress, with its founces and
fittings.
81 have always worn trains" she
said; sand doesn't it seem almost pity
to cut them offp''
"Just as you please" said Mrs. Dash.
wood, chilling visibly.
Madeline did not enjoy her visit to
Eastwood Hall half so much as she had
expected; and Mrs. Eastwood inwardly
determined that of all daughters. in.
law whom Felix could possibly have Sc
lected Miss Westford was the least sat-
isfactory. But it never occurred to her
that she did not quite falhom all the
depths of Madeline's character; nor
that she was looking for woman's
matured virtues in girl of seventeen,
just out of boarding-school.
81 don't approve" said she stiffly,
.'of girls who lie on sofas and read po-
etry all day, instead of trying to learn
a little housekeeping; and as for needle
work, all the Kensington stitch and
crewel patterns in creation won't take
the place-in my estimation, at least
Of good plain stitching and stocking
darning. Madeline Westford and l can
never, never become congenialr'
''But, mother"
To Felix Dashwood's infinite amaze.
ment, however, the conversation was
here interrupted by Madeline herself in
the offending cream serge dress, with
tho lovely, cloudy tresses of gold fran.
ing her flushed face, and new glitter
in her blue eyes.
81 didn't mean to be q listener" said
she, shut was half asleep in the shady
drawing-room, and when ] heard my
own name l couldn't help sitting still
for moment; and perhaps it is just as
well. IL have feared this for long
time. l am quite certain of it now.
You don't like me, Mrs. DashwoodP"
$40 be frank" said the frigid mat
ron, 81 do nOtl"
81 am sorry" said Madeline, softly.
81 should have liked you to love me.
And you do not wish me to marry Fe-
lixP'
eff you wish me to answer sincere
w." said Mrs. Dashwood-"no."
Then / won't marry him." said
Madeline, pulling OF. the little turquoise
ring which Felix had given her for an
engagement ring in those bright, sweet
days which seemed so long-ah, so long
ago! 81 will marry no man whose
mother is not ready to take me into her
heart of heartsr
So the engagement was broken of,
and Madeline went home again.
Don't fret, Felix" coaxed she.
"It's deal better for you, if you can
get used to the idea. If ever have a
mother-in-law, / mean that she shall
love mech, so dearly -
To Mrs. Dashwood's surprise. Felix
took this overthrow of his hearts dear
est hopes very coOlly.
81 had hoped that you would learn to
love Madeline" he said. Indeed,
do not know how any one could help it.
But if you can't-why, there's an end OF
the matter ~
Within few days Mrs. Eastwood re-
ceived a letter from Cousin Thespia, a
young lady from the West. Cousin
Thespia was coming to Eastwood Hall,
to get acquainted with her unknown
relations. The old lady's heart leaped
up within her.
Perhaps Felix will take a fancy to
Thespia," said she to herself.
And she made haste to refurnish the
little blue boudoir, fill the tiny conserv-
atory with fresh fowers-for the chill
November days were beginning to
gloam across the horizon now-and lay
out programme of amusement for the
promised guest.
Cousin Thespia came, black-eyed
girl nearly six feet high, who laughed
like peal of bells, talked all the slang
of the modern young lady, and declared
openly that she found the East unutter-
ably slow.
II shouldn't have come here at all il
I hadn't an idea of going on the stage"
said she. II suppose it's the best place
to study up and get new ideas"
"My DEAR" said scandalized Mrs.
Eastwood, 'why on earth should you
go on to the-the stagep'
because l like it" said Thespia in
differently.
Apparently Cousin Thespia liked Fe-
lix Eastwood also. She followed him
out even to the stables-horses, she de-
clared, were her delight; she chatted
with him in the long. fire-lighted dusks;
she sang dashing. ballads to the piano
for his especial delectation-ballads
that were widely different from poor
Madeline's dreamy saocta,nes and soft
sonatas; she openly declared that she
was the very incest fellow she had met
sinas sha crossed the Bio River" .t-..