Frostburg mining journal., 1883-11-17
"His j." Folks. "
Emily Hayes in The Household.

sweetness of the mignonette which bor-
dered the walks in the shady, old-fash-
ioned gardens without.
AT the windows n network of morn
ing-glory vines, brilliant with their
blossoms of violet, pink and white,
shut out the morning sun which, al.
though it was SO early in the day, was
uncomfortably warm.
Everything was at its best save the
feelings of the pretty dark-haired wo-
man who sat by the breakfast table
looking so thoroughly miserable that it
would have moved any spectator to
mingled pity and curiosity. She had
been married but year and had been
very happy until lately. She had as
she said, motions of her own," among
which, one of the most prominent
was, that no house was ever yet
large enough to accommodate wife and
her husbands mother, and now, not
only her husbands mother but sister,
too, was coming to interfere with all
her rules, and find fault with all her
arrangements. She had never seen any
of her husbands people; at the time of
her marriage his mother and sister
were in California with his elder
brothers family on account of the sis
ter's health. Now that she was well
again they longed for home, and as
Harry had the homestead what were
they to do but come there?
Lefty stormed and resisted, but
Harry was firm. She did not deny that
she was cross and disagreeable. How
could she be anything else with such
trial in store? How could she be ex-
pected to like people who made trouble
between Harry and herself even before
they came? What it would be after
ward, she could not bear to think, but
she knew that "her good days were
done" Why, if they must come to the
old home, couldn't she and Harry have
new one? She had nearly had
downright quarrel with her husband
on this point.
Neither mother nor Kate would ever
come into the house if it was to drive
us out, and it is their home, too, as
we'll as ours. Wait till you see them,
and don't be so unreasonable.
She should see them soon enough!
Only this morning they had received
telegram to the effect that the travellers
would arrive that afternoon, and Harry
was to meet them at the junction"
some twenty miles distant, so she could
not see him again before they came, as
he would take an early dinner down
town in order to catch the
train. 1t was growing late in
the morning, too, and she had
not yet washed her breakfast dishes.
She supposed she should be all the
morning doing them by and by when
she had so many to wash, not consider
ing how long she had sat at the break
fast table commiserating herself.
She had gone to the parlor bookcase
and found the old photograph album,
and taken another look at the faded
copy from an old picture which was all
Harry had of his mother; while Kate's
photograph was just horrid, though
Harry did say it did not look the
least bit like her; but she got
little consolation from the sur
vey. There was one comfort though,
she thought as she shut the clasp with
spiteful little snap and put the book
down behind o row of art journals,
they couldn't look much worse than
their pictures, with little sigh, for
she was an enthusiastic admirer OF
beauty. They didn't look bit like
her handsome Harry, and he-feeling
little hurt at her Indifference to his
family-had said little about them,
rather cross to the af1ectionate, gem
erous- hearted young man to whom
mother and Kate were almost superhu-
man.
Mrs Bryant, her nearest neighbor,
had sympathized with Lefty from the
beginning. will brought his mother
to live with us when we were married.
and declare | should have died if her
youngest daughter had not married and
wanted mother to live with her. | told
Will all she wanted of her was to do
the work, for Maria had always taught
school and knew nothing of housekeep-
ing, but ! pitied her. husband Wasn't
1 abused though, in those three years?
Mother was n strong, well woman, and
yet she had every disease ever known
to humanity, and was always
complaining; never quite so happy
as when she had six or
seven kinds of medicine stepping on
the kitchen stove and scenting the
house all over. You can't stand it,
Lefty, and l wouldn't if / were You.
Mrs. Parker says you will never get
along with them and | should let Harry
know ii i'll the beginning"
So it had gone from bad to worse,
Lefty listening to the history Of the
dreadful trials with his folks" which
had been the experience of her acquain-
tances, and was dealt out to her by un-
sparing tongues, and daily grew more
and more opposed to the double inilic-
tion which threatened her.
The day wore on, and although she
was anything but reconciled to exist
ing circumstances, still she was too
good II housekeeper to allow any one to
find house or table lacking i'll any par
ticular, and when at 5 o'clock she heard
the whistle of the approaching train
and knew they would soon be here, she
gave hnsty glance at the reflection OF
the pretty dark face and soft muslin
dress which met he. IN the mirror, and
passed into tho dining groom to give
some finishing touches to the inviting
table which looked as though it needed
nothing.
Half an hour afterward she stood in
the hall TO welcome the dreaded guests
Was this the invalid old maid who
rushed mp the steps and caught her III
her arms before Harry had time to lift
mother down. This tall, handsome
girl, with Harry's fair hair and brown
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