Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-12-24

certainly Will, WAS the quick re-
ply. ~ don't know anything that
would give me more pleasure: Why, [
declare, mother, you look quite young
with YOU [ shall be delighted" All
this time Mr. Saunders was grasping his
mother laws hand, and looking with
his clear, sparkling eyes in her face.
Andrew Saunders thoroughly liked
and respected the little woman who now
sat before him, and who. as she with
drew her hand and babe Patrick drive
on, said: 81 shall depend on you, An
drew; do not disappoint me-
"Did [ ever do that, mother?" said
Andrew. Mrs. Garth smiled "Not
often, | confess; good morning." she
said. Nov for business. Patrick,
drive first to the restaurant-T-' on
- Street." Arrived at It's, the pro
prietor was called out to the carriage,
and received the old lady's orders.
stores, dry goods and toy-shops were
visited and, when the carriage had been
so nearly filled with parcels that there
was not much room left to accommodate
it's human freight, Patrick was ordered
to drive to Mr.. John Garth's wholesale
dry goods house. Mr.. John Garth was
ready, and, crowding himself in by his
mothers side, after few minutes ride
they found themselves at rs, where
the polite proprietor himself ushered
them into a private parlor, saying to
Mrs Garth: DINNER will be served,
madam, as you ordered, when your bell
is heard"
GAIL right" said the old lady. "Now,
John, help me off with these wraps, and
then remove your overcoat." Just as
John, having assisted his mother to lay
aside her cloak and furs, was about to
take his own wrap from his tall, broad
shouldered form, sharp rap sounded
ON the room door. Mrs. Garth fastened
to open it, and, to her sons astonish
brother-in-law, Andrew Saunders. to
whom he had not spoken since that I'M
lucky day-how long ago was it?-
when, in a heated political discussion,
words had been said that had better
have been left unsaid by both, and the
friends of thirty years had parted in
bitter wrath. Vainly had their wives
and their mutual friends striven to
make peace. Lucy Saunders had
sought her brother herself, and begged
him to overlook Andrews hasty ords;
and Mrs. John Garth had excused
Johns temper and asked Andrew 10
forget ana forgive.
''There was nothing to forgive" An
drew had said heartily; eff John will
forget [ will"
But John had repulsed his sister, and
refused to hear his wife. "Better keep
apart" he said. 81 want no more to do
with man who only thinks as the par
clique that suits him; let him stay"
And so the two families that had been
almost as one gradually drew apart, al
though both men insisted that the inter-
course between their wives and chill
dren must 60 on as before. But that
could not be. The wives OF each, like
the good women they were, strove to
keep the younger members of their re-
spective families ignorant of the trouble
But children are keen observers, and
soon John Garth's eldest daughter at
home-there was one married daughter,
living, however, in distant city-iancy-
ing that somehow Uncle Saunders had
mistreated her father, ceased visiting at
her uncle's. Of course, the young Saun-
derses noticed this, and their visits to
Uncle Johns became few and far be-
tween. So now the families had very
little intercourse, and that little was SO
constrained and awkward that it was
source of sorrow instead of pleasure.
Grandmother Garth had been a silent
observer of all this. Mrs. John Garth
had confded all to her from the first.
Her mother-in-law had been a well-be-
loved inmate of Mr.. John Garth's home
for more than twenty years, ever since
her widowhood in fact, and Mrs. John
prided herself much on this. at was
highly proper" she said, "that Johns
mother should make her home with
John; he was her oldest son, and for
her part she loved Johns mother al
most as we'll as she did her own"
Which was all true, and very pleasant
to all parties; nevertheless old Mrs.
Garth's two daughters, Mrs. Lucy Saun-
ders and Mrs. Emma Thornton, and
their younger brother Philip Garth,
je aious, although the old lady made
them frequent visits, and this feeling Of
jealousy on Mrs. Saunders part may
have helped to foster her opinion that
Johns temper had more to do With
the trouble than Andrews tongue"
Be this as it may, Grandmother Garth
concluded the quarrel had lasted long
enough, and now that Christmas was
coming, and with it Philip and Philips
family, who knew nothing of the diff
Guilty, she determined to bring it to an
end
/ need not say that Mr.. Saunders
face expressed as much surprise as did
his brother-in-law' when they found
themselves face to face in the parlor at
rs. But before either one of the
men could express his amazement in
words grandmother spoke. "Boys, she
said, Il have brought you here to-day
to end the foolish quarrel that is caus-
ing your families so much trouble and
me such shame; for | am ashamed of
you both" Here the old lady paused.
Her voice broke and her lips quivered,
while the big tears rolled down her
withered cheeks. In moment she re-
covered herself. "Shake hands, boys,
at once. | will be obeyed." John
Garth's memory in that instant brought
before him scene of thirty years
ago. His mother, then a stately,
beautiful woman, had brought him
face to face with. his younger
brother Philip, with whom he
had quarreled, and in that case he we'll
remembered his own quick, hot temper
had been to blame; perhaps it was; SO
now af aDV rate he felt his mot her was