The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-04-05
OLD MRS. BRAY'S STORY.


him again. Why? Oh, well, didn't
like her; she wasn't the sort of girl I'd
have chosen. I'd never seen her, but
knew she wasn't,-a Eighty young thing,
Just out of boarding school; couldn't
make a shirt or a loaf of bread; and
there was Miss Fish, very plain girl, /
must allow, but so good-a splendid
housekeeper, and all that. always liked
Almira Fish; and Gregory to go marry
Fanny MOrrisonl Well, as / said, | told
him what l thought of him and of her,
and the boy showed his temper, and Cor
six months | never saw him.
| bore it as long as could, but moth
err must be fool about her only boy; so
one day, as he wouldn't come to me,
went to him, as the rascal knew | would
went to his office, and walked up to
his desk, and | was going to scold him,
but something came over me that made
me choke to keep the tears back, and be
fore knew it we had kissed and made
friends.
"And now you'll go and see Fanny"
said he, "and I'll find you there when |
come home at night" and after little
cOaxing | said l would gO;and more than
that, Invent
The house was a cunning little place, a
mile or two out of town; and | must say
it was very neat outside. rang the bell;
it shOne as it ought to, and before it
stopped tinkling some one opened the
door. 1T was pretty young woman in
blue chintz wrapper, and when asked
her if Mrs. Gregory Bray was at home
she answered.
Eyes; that is my name. I've been ex-
pecting you an age, but better late than
never"
'How did you know / was comingT l
asked, puzzled to guess how she knew me,
for we had never met before.
"0b, ! didn't know" said she. 'Tn.
deed, | made up my mind you wouldn't;
but it's long way out here, know.
Come right up stairs. Miss Jones was
here yesterday to cut and haste, but we'll
find it as much as we can do to do the
trimming between u.s."
"CoOl," | thought Then | said, III
suppose you are having dress nader
"A suit" said she; skirt, overskirt,
basque, and dolman. | do hope you
make nice buttonhOes."
81 should hope I did," said I. al
should be ashamed of myself if |
couldn't"
80 many can't" said she; "but told
Miss Jones to send me an experienced
hand, and she said that there was no bet
ter than Mrs. Switzer."
Now | began to understand. Ny
daughier-in-law took me for a seamstress
she expected, and if ever woman had
chance, had one now. Not word
did | say. Only | wondered whether
seamstresses generally came to work in
black grosgrain silk and a cashmere
shawl; and | sat down in the rocking
chair she gave me and went to work
with will. can sew with any one, and
as for buttonholes-bu this is not nv
story.
She was a pretty girl, that daughter
iD-law of mine, and very chatty and sOcia-
BILE. / talked of this and / talked of
that, but not word did she say of her
mother in law | spoke of people | had
known who had had quarrels with rela-
tions, but she did not tell me that her hus-
bands mother had quarreled with him.
At last | spoke right out about moth
ers-in-law, and said =
GAS a general thing, mothers-in-law
and daughters in-law don't agree"
Said she, That's very wrong state of
things"
"Well," said /, al suppose it is, but
how do you account for it?'
81 suppose young people are selfish
when they are first in love" said she,
land forget old peoples feelings"
1t was an answer l didn't expect.
at is plain you are friendly with your
mother-in-law," said /.
"Pm sure | should be if I'd ever seen
her." said she.
ooh! then I've been misinformed,"
said |. 81 was told forget by whom
that Mr.. Gregory Bray was the son of
the Mrs. Bray who lives on-Street.
THAT is perfectly true" said she, "but
nevertheless we've never met"
Glow singularl" said /. 81 suppose
it is old Mrs. Bray's fault. I've heard
she was very queer old lady"
"YOu haven't heard the truth, then, !"
said my daughter-inl-aw. my hus-
bands mother is very fine woman in
every respect. But when my husband
told her suddenly that he was going to
marry girl she never saw, she was
naturally startled, and she said some
things about me, knowing / was fresh
from boarding-school, and no housekeeper
that offended Gregory, and 50 there
has been an arrangement. | think my
dear husband little TO blame, and I've
urged him dozen times to go and see
her. He's very found of her, and thinks
no one like her in many things; but bis