St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-12-16
st. Paul.
THE MOTHER-IN-LAW.
Abuses and Uses of That Veneer
able Institution Set Forth by
Summit Avenue Woman.

Abuses and Uses of That Vener-
able Institution Set Forth by a
Summit Avenue Woman.
Written for the Globe.
More SenseleSs talk was probably
never heard than that INDUCED in by
men (so-cailed) about their mothers-in-
law. Most that is said about these dear
old ladies is downright abuse and
wholesale SANDER. Among all the
scarecrowS that false civilization has
set up in the fields of matrimony, not
one is so alarming to many young men
as the efigy of the nOvelistic old crone
labeled ''mother-in-law."
Let us look for moment at the neceS-
sity for mothers-in-law, and at the very
great blessings they confer. They are
certainly link in the unfolding of the
generations. Without that mother-in-
law how would you have secured that
wife of yours?
You will no doubt give the conun-
drum up. Here. then, is the first great
reason for closing your mouth to any
abuse OF the woman who gave your
wife birth. But is this all? Was your
wife, after few weeks or months of
merely natural nourishment, turned
loose to grow up like weed? Has she
beauty, grace, accomplishments? Can
she sew on buttons and darn your
stockings, tie your cravat and brush
your coat collar? Just think of that
wife of yours as she glides from
cellar to attic. as she goes about direct
ing, ruling, .Tsuading, warning. ar
ranging, pleading often with you and
with all. maintaining for you in herself
the only link that attaches you to your
neighbors and to the church, and gives
you the only interest worth having,
while like all angel she whispers TO you
of heaven. Does she do all this? Her
mother is your mother-in-law.
In your home there came one time
mystic, anxious hour that brought TO
you new emotions so permeated with
fear and pride, suspense and hope, that
you paced the halls in strange, half
gloomy. half-eXultant reveries, feeling
as if you were about to sink into an
abyss, or emerge suddenly into higher
and grander existence. You were
not with SOur wife. The sanctity
of the ordeal for her excludes you.
The physician arrives, but he asks you
no questions and no permission 10 pass
up stairs. The servants look at you
askance, but say nothing~ You begin
to feel burdened with load, you know
not what of; You begin to feel like an
an outcast. or a discarded actor; the
play is made up and you are left out:
but before you get really rebellious, or
commit suicide. some one calls down
stairs. 1t is your mother-in-law, She
says: George. it is boy" What
was the reaction in your whole being
then? How do you seem at once to
have put your foot upon all obstacles
and embarrasSmentS of life. A man
heretofore in your own consciousness,
now accredited to the world as such.
All this al the call of your mother-in-
law. For this one first message she
should be entitled to life immunity from
all criticism. no matter what the poor
dear lady's failingS may be in some di-
rectiOnS.
What would our chiIdren's homes be
without grandmother? She entertains
them, instructS them, makes fun for
them. and is their refuge from more
than half their ills. No. no, let US keep
our mothers-in-law. even though one
here and there may be dad incidence"
they will soon become grandmotherS in
the ordinary course of events; then
even an old caterpillar of mother-n-
law may emerge into sort of grand
mother buttertiy-hood that will please
the children awhile, and then fit away
heavenWard.
But some will say there are some
mothers-in-law that are really hard to
get along with and keep things hot for
their Sons-in-iaw. Well. so be it. In
many instances the sons-in-law deserve
il and need just such training. Ninety
nine out of every hundred sons-in-law
are perfectly willing that their mother
in-law may nurse and care for the chill
dren when sick and do the drudgery of
the household, but mere suggestion
from her on any subject whatever is re-
garded as an officious intermeddiing
with other peoples business, and they
rave and rant as if some objectionable
OffenSe had been committed by the
good old lady. As for me. have often
| wished that Adam had had mother
in-law. Had there been mother-in-law
in his case ''to make il lively for him.
he would not have been leunging
Ianly around in the shade while the old
serpent was flirting with Eve. He
would have been up and on the alert,
and while having an ''eye out" and
wondering what has mother-in-law
would be sup to" next, he would have
discovered the snake and chopped its
! head off with spade. and we would to-
day be happy people. The conclusion
of the whole matter, then. is that in
| stead of prosecuting mothers-inlaw,
we should spend our spare time lament
ing that the race did not start off with
one. MRS. j. L. SoRREIL.
Summit avenue.