Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-02-07
Why I Dropped Miss SINNERS
Acquaintance.

DO ausht to harm eternal veres.
s
Why 1 Dropped Miss skinner's
Acquaintance.
So your husbands mother is coming to
live with you," remarked Miss Susan Skin
ner, contemptuously, giving her head toss
which set all the little pink bows dancing.
"Why, yes, Miss Susan," said |, opening
nv eyes in surprise at my visitors tone,
" Mother Grey's last child has married and
moved away from her, and now she is left
quite alone. Henry always was her favor
lite, and I, knowing it would please him,
suggested that she should rent or sell the
farm, and make her home with us, and she
has consented TO do So"
Humph all the more fool you You
have got yourself into a pretty fix now,
Mary Grey. She will never leave you as
long as she lives; you can make up your
mind to that, and bid goodbye to peace the
rest of your days"
"Why, Miss Susan" said l, regarding my
old neishbor with surprise, /" don't un-
derstand you. | am sure | never want
mother to leave us, and as for peace, what
difference can her coming make ?"
"Oh, you'll see," replied Miss Susan,
nodding her head wisely. "You'll see
You will repent of your bargain before
month is over, mind what tell you. OF
all the mean, conniving, meddlesome wo-
men in the world, it is mother-in-law."
began to feel little annoyed. "What
do you know about it 2" l could not refrain
from saying.
"Humph you needn't twit me with be-
ing an old maid, Mary Grey thank my
stars that Pm not tied to any man, nor
what's worse, to any mans mother. What
do l know about mothers-in-law More
than / want to, goodness knows Why
there was my cousin Lucinda, who wa;
obliged to leave her husband, and go homt
to her father, just on account of her mother
in-law and Alice Lawson, poor, little, weak
| creature, who used to live in this very
house, was so imposed upon and ill-used by
her husbands mother that they do say i,
killed her; any way, she died just three
| months after her mother-in-law came to live
with her. Why, I know of lots of such
cases, and, if a woman isn't awfully strong
minded, her mother-in-law just runs right
over her, and rules the house, and if she il
strong-minded, they are continually iangline
and quarrelng, so you see that, altogether
woman's best way is to keep entirely away
from her mother-in-law."
"But, Miss Susan, these are only excep
tional cases." said I. al am sure there are
good and true women in the world belong
ing to this class"
"Well, I'd Just like to see one of them
that's all | see it's no use arguing with
you, Mary you're too set in your own way
mark my words, my dear, you will rue thu
day you ever let that woman come into you
house, said Miss Susan, in tone of settled
conviction. "When do you expect Mrs
Grey 2" she asked, rising.
"To.morrow evening""
80 soon Well, Pm sure | hope yo'
will be able to get along with her." an
swered Miss Susan with little sympatheti
sigh.
Often, during the remainder of that da
and the next found myself wondering
what my husbands mother was like. Ii
had always seemed so proud and fond O
her, that was predisposed to love her Il
regard her with that reverence and affectio
which had cherished for my own dea
mother. | thought how nice it would be t
have some one to whom / could go with a
my little troubles and anxieties, some on
who would sympathize with and counst
me; and how pleasant it would be for Harr
| W nave ntS luUlutI ways uCdi hluy Wuci
he conld watch over and care for her.
We would make such a happy family
Henry and myself, grandma, and bab
Henry.
; Then, in opposition to all these pleasau
thoughts, would come up in spite of me th
gloomy warnings and forebodings whic
Miss Susan Skinner had uttered. Coul
Henry's mother be " mean, conniving, meC
dlesome," or disagreeable in any way N
a thousand times no. And yet the sharpl
spoken words had left their sting, and
could not drive the memory of them frol
! my mind.
When train-time arrived baby aud toe
/, our station at the window, to watch fl
"grandma." Soon the sound of wheels WI
: heard, and Henry drove up to the door, ar
handed out lady.
Mother, this is your daughter, Mary"
, | looked up, and met pair of gentle blI
eyes looking out wistfully from kindly o
, face.
I. "Mary, will you let me be your motht
as well as Henry's ?" asked the lady, hol
ing out her hands and / answered, Ell
!. bracing her warmly,
= "Indeed will Welcome home, mother
4 Miss Skinner, peeping from behind h
= = blinds across the street, saw the act al
: understood it.
"Oh that's all very fiue," she muttere
contemptuously. "A new broom swee
: clean. Wait few weeks, aud then g.,
:, shall see."
Time sped along happily for months, al
!, it seemed as if Miss Skinner would have
u be disappointed, for no happier family e
u listed than ours. | felt like singing all t
> time, and often told Henry if | was on
v V rich enough to have piano, | should
~ almost too happy to live, for | would 81
II and play continually. The unpleasant
70 fects of Miss SINNERS prediction VT
!, gradually wearing off, but she felt it
" duty TO run in often enough to keep l
Is suspicious. As she met me one evenir
y after putting baby to bed, 1 ran down
the parlor to get my sewing, which | h
left on the table before tea. The door
not open readily, and | tried it again,
10 found it was locked. | was sure hea
10 Henrys and his mothers voice within, a
N thinking the door had become fastened
d cidentally, called out TO open it.
IS "Oh is that you Mary ?" he answer'
" Run up stairs and get my cigar-case, "
,r you 2"
,e did so, and when l came down aga
s. found the door open, and Henry sitting
ID the table reading.
l- "Where is mother 2" asked.
of wasn't she upstairs with you ?"
y; piled Henry, keeping his eyes fixed on
10 book.
lg "Why, no thought she was here"
n "Well, you see you are mistaken" he
in swered.
IT, did not reply, but took up my work a
Id sewed away busily, my thoughts keepi
ig time with my fingers. | was positively c
IN tain | had heard Mrs. Greys voice in lc
G. toned conversation with Henry, and yet
We had the same as denied her presence the
e. 1t was the fist time he had ever equivoca
tn to me, and | could not overlook it ligh
es without knowing the reason. Why had
is done so Was Miss Skinner right af
ALP Was there anything secret betw'