The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1890-07-17
SELECTED.
kITTYs MoTHER-iN-IAW.

New York Ledger
Kitty Give got out of the car as light
as n fairy, bit the old lady who had Sc,
next to her followed more slowly and
stilliy. She had her umbrella and basket,
her cane and the little old-fashioned
lealhern retlcule which hung on her arm,
''Let me help you" said Kitty, softly.
Kitty Give was one Of the sweet-soul-
ed minlsterink angels of the world, who
are always helping and succoring the un.
fortunate. When she WAS q child she
brought home all the lame kittens, per-
secuted puppies and forlorn white mice
which she could find as a schoolgirl ali
the homesick children came TO her. and
now, at eighteen, she had kindly eye to
the feeble, and the old and the inefilcent
| And so it happen that she helred the old
lady In the black Tibet shawl to get out
of tie Sixth avenue car on that sleety,
slippery October afternoon, just at twi.
light.
"Thank you, my dear" said the old
lady, glancing rather apprehensively
around her. you couldn't tell me sup
pose, where Mr.. George Sibley lives on
West 18th street. l am his mother, my
dear, and I'm stranger In the city"
doesn't he expect you?' said Kitty,
turning very pink under the shadow of
her neat little umbrella.
NO" said the little old lady, folding
her little mittened hand inside of a huge,
old lynx muff my niece with whom
pve always had home has just died, and
hSve come to live with my son George.
He's somewhere in West 18th street,
know, but have mislaid my glasses and
the writing on this slip of paper is pretty
fine for my old eyss to make out"
So Kitty Give took 1t out of her hand
and beneath the luminous ray of the
nearest lamp read.
Mr.. George Sibley, No.-West 18th
.17s...t"
"Irs the fourth house from yonder
store" said she pointing with her neatly
gloved fingers. The one with the blue
and gold window SHADES
And waiting at the corner until she saw
he old lady safe up the steps, Kitty Give
turned away.
His mother!" she said to herself
And she had sweet old face, as fresh
and ROSY as winter apple. And she is
coming home to live with him. Oh,
know l shall like MOI her-in-law like
that"
And Kitty, who had never had moth.
er of her own, felt strange yearning
thrill in her heart os she thought how
ulce 1t would he to have mild, old
specialized face by the lresde,-a gentle
household angel, to whom she could carry
all the little daily cares and trials of her
life.
The next day, however, when Kitty
came to the little fancy store ON the cor
ner to match particular shade OF blue
zephyr wool, she saw her little old friend
Of the day before sitting meekly on
chair with the lynx muff and the respect
able bonnet of black Grape, with its folds
Of dead black ribbon.
Kitty looked hard at the old lady. The
old lady looked deprecatingly at Kitty.
Didn't you find him2" asked Kitty,
obeying the sudden impulse of her heart.
'.Oh, yes, said the old lady, Il found
him. but he doesn't want me any more,"
doesn't want your" echoed Kitty.
mo-" said the old lady with a sigh.
"Now I'm waiting here for the first car
to take me to the depot. He says am to
go home again. He is to be married in a
few weeks to a beautiful young lady. and
he saws she will not care to have moth
er-in-law about the house. He is very
good she added sadly, che paws my board
at Mrs Winnings, down near the old place
but that will not be like living with him.
"And he has sent you away" cried Kit
ty, with huge lump In her throat. Ellis
own mother
my DEAR" said the poor old lady,
"when man Is going to be married he
don't stop to think much about his moth
er. suppose it's all natural enough,
but must say that he Is a disappoint
ment to me- Nv sons wife will love him
dearly, don't doubt, but she can never
love him better than have done"
And then the old lady put her pocket
handkerchief back into her reticule and
got into the car to ride out to the depot.
Kitty Give looked unusually pretty that
evening when her lover came to see her
She was always fair to look upon, but to-
night there was a deeper carnation than
usual on her cheeks, and a more liquid
sparkle in her eyes.
George Sibley was tall and dark, with
rather pleasant face and very white
teeth-just the sort of a man whom girls
look kindly at, and the world iu general
pronounces "a fine young fellow" He
had always. heretofore, been Kitty's ideal
hero, but somehow, since yesterday, he
had had tumble from his pedestal.
Il have something to tell you, Kitty, ;
said Mr. Sibley. as he seated himself
close to her work table. "Well?" said
Kitty, and It struck Sibley that the word
was uttered in colder accent than usual.
II have saved you from the doom of a
mother in-law," said he smiling. my
mother has been down from the ountry
to see me. She wants to make her home
with US. But thought of you, my darl-
ing, and sent her back"
| "You thought Of me, did your said
Kitty Give, flushing up scarlet to the
roots of hair You thought 1t would
please ME to take sons heart away from
his mother-to send . lonely woman back
homeless to the place where she came
from. You supposed was selfish enough
to think of myself and myself only in
the world. What very high estimation
you must hold me in"
"But Kitty"
ooh, yes," said the little blonde, ex-
citedly, al know there is q popular pre-
judice against mother in-laws, but 1t
doesn't follow that | am fool enough to
trudge blindly in all those ridiculous
grooves. never had real mother and
l want one"
<If had known, Kitty"
"You never consulted me at all" said
the girl. "And this settles the question
~
son can never make good husband"
kitty, my own darling"
But Kit y turned away from him.
"Only tell me, sweetheart. what to do"
he pleaded, 10 mingled contrltion and be-
wilderment.
doesn't your own nlial instinct tell
you" she returned with spirit.
"But, dear one, want TO please you,
that Is my first object 10 life," he urged
"Does not the Bible say. And he shall
leave his father and his mother, anG
cleave unto his wifer"
"Oh, but the Bible never said, He shall
turn his old mother out OF doors, TO sui
the selfish whims Of . younger woman
returned Kitty.
"Then do you wish me to-"
~ wish you TO 60 and bring your moth
or Immediately back" said Kitty. "Tel
her that her sons betrothed wife
J neither . stick nor stone, but . huma
woman. with loving heart In be
h~>ozn0n