The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-07-02
A PROBLEM SOLVED.
a Kind Physician Removes 9
Troublesome Mother-in-Law.


A young man of about thirty years 9
age stepped slowly along one of tn
principal streets of the metropolis. II
was of an elegant and interesting pres
ence. He gazed absent-mindedly int
the show-windows to his right, AM
seemed los. IN thought.
'.Good morning, Edmund" called
gentleman apparently ten years hi
senior and of compact figure, with
full black beard, who was coming to
wards him. 'This is the first time
have seen you since your marriage, ant
It confirms the sad aphorism that /,
young husband forgets nothing NOR,
easily than his friends. Do not inter
fupt me, for I intend no reproaches
since 1 am aware of your happiness
You have married the prettiest girl il
town, and think you are too sensibl,
not to agree with me when l say tina
her money is no drawback. Poverty
makes no one happy, and riches do ne
harm, you know"
Over the handsome face of Mr.. Ed
mund Hagen, the person addressed
fitted weak smile.
doctor, do not say that you are
not right" he answered.; "but money
can not do every thing. am happy
yet"
He did not finish the sentence.
"Yet?" repeated DIR. Henry Brose
who was physician of note. ''Thi.
word betrays the fact that your happi
ness has some kind of unpleasant after.
taste. What do you mean by this
ryet?'''
''Nothing-nothing!' said Hagen.
-'This won't do, continued Brose. 81
do not require confession; but an old
friend should not be cut off short in this
way. Where does itpinch?"
/ "Nowhere-nowhere cried Hagen,
half out of humor. "My happiness
would be complete, were not the mother
of my wife,
'.Aha! The mother-in-law!'' broke in
the doctor. "You have ALWAYS de.
Scribed her to mo as q most excellent
person.
''She is all that consider her para
gon of a woman and mother"
my dear Hagen, then 1 do not un-
derstand you"
'.My wife is an angel. Every day ]
learn to esteem and love her more, ~
continued Hagen. my mother-in-law
Is a very excellent woman; kind, COM
plant, self-sacrificing. She does every
thing to please me, yet"
"Again this mysterious yeti" broke
In the doctor. ''Pray, speak inteligi
bly,"
Il do speak intelligibly," said
Hagen. ''She fosters and cherishes me
rs her son and favorite. Every morn
ing she prepares for me most delicious
coffee; at noon, she selects for me the
most delicious tidbits; in the evening,
she cuddles me like child; she spoils
mer'
swell, that is not SO terrible" said
Brose, laughing.
but she never leaves us alone to-
gether" burst out Hagen, at last.
THAT is, indeed, unpleasant"
''She means it all right; but it is very
painful for me-" continued Hagen.
.'She loves my wife distractedly, be-
cause she is her only child, and this
reconciles me to the conditions again
and again: but this love becomes un-
comfortable, since my wife can not sep
Arate from her mother, either. I re-
foiced like child in anticipation of our
wedding trip. had to give it up, be-
cause my wife insisted that her mother
should accompany Ut"
"You acted very prudently," said
Brose, in his dry, earnest manner.
Eyes, l was defrauded of my wedding
trip, and now am being swindled out
of my honeymoon continued Hagen,
even more passionately. my wife can
not part from her mother, nor the
mother from her child. l have often
the feeling as though 1 were not the
husband of my wife or master in my
own house,
edmund, this is bad state of af-
fairs" said the doctor, stroking his
beard with his right hand. "You are
III of you suffering from too much, and,
I may add, perverted. affection. But
have an ideal How would it do to marry
your mother-in-law to somebody? She
Is not forty yet is well preserved, a
handsome woman, and, to one who had
not seen her certificate of baptism, she
would appear thirty at the most"
care You mad?" cried Hagen.
"Why?'
"My wife is the only heir of her
mother, to whom the entire property
belongs. Should she marry again we
might perhaps be left with trifiing in
heritance."
"You are right Let us not get her
married, then. But l would willingly
be of assistance to you in this crisis of
your callow marital felicity
''You can't said Hagen. ..vist me
This Observation-Disclosures even
ing! My mother-in-law is a refined,
cultured, amiable lady. Entertain your
eelf with her. l am certain you will
not pass the time unpleasantly. know
you like Rudesheimer. have an ex.
cellent vintage of this brand. One,
two, three bottles are at your service
every evening. Twill see that you have
the very finest Havanas, and you will
hsve no other duty than that of enter
taining my mother-in-law, SO that my
wife and l can have an hour to our
belves. Are you agreed?''
'aOf counsel" cried the doctor laugh
ing.
s.And you will come this EVENING""
Certainly
.And the following evening. tooa"