The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-10-15

t1ulS, IL Was tlo 5Itbo'
1.-THE shirts!"
"Well, you know he said it was such
a wasteful, e~xtravagant proceeding to
buy shirts ready made" explained
Rachel. "He said the linen was poor,
and the work regular 'slop shop style,
and he declared you always used to
make his shirts at home, every stitch,
before he was married"
$50 ! did," acknowledged Mrs. Ed
monstone, with o groan. 'sBut that was
in the old times, before you could buy
such a good article as they have now"
Eyes, but Tom don't make any allow
ance for difference in times and Gus
TOMS" sighed Rachel. HE wanted
home made shirts, and home made shirts
he would have!'
"And You made emp
eyes, I made them"
"You were a great goose" rehectively
spoke Mrs. Edmonstone.
"And-and Tom swore dfeadfully the
first one he put on
Il don't in the least doubt it."
"And he said they set like meal bags,
and that they twisted his neck around
as if he had just been hanged, and
grasped him on the shoulders like a po-
licemani Oh, / can't tell you what lie
didn't say!"
"Bless 1ner' said Mrs. Edmonstone.
srHe told me his mothers shirts set
like a glove, and fitted him perfectly
and why couldn't | turn out a shirt like
those? And it was then, mother DEAR"
suddenly finging her arms around the
old lady's plumpe comfortable neck,
shat ! lost my head, and told him I
wished there wasn't such a thing as a
mother-in-law in the world! And Betsy
Tacker sat in the sewing room altering
oven my dolman in the spring style. and
I suppose she must have heard me-"
Don't mind it, my dear" said Mrs.
Edmonstone.
mo. l won't" protested Rachel.
"But, oh, those shirts! I've been rip
ping them apart and sewing them to-
gether again, and rounding off a gusset
here and taking in aplait there, until
I've got SO that l dream Of EN- at night,
and the more | try 'em on the worse
they fit, and the more unreasonable Tom
becomes. My mother never made such
work of it as this!' says he"
"Thomas forgets," observed Mrs. Ed
monstone severely.
Sand I'm sure if things go on like
this" added Rachel, pushing her short
brown curls off her forehead, It'll end
in a separation on account of 'incom-
patibility of temper"
mo, it won't, my dear" said the mo-
ther-in-law. Here, get me the pattern
and some shirting muslin and a pair of
scissors"
What are you going to do, mother?'
eagerly questioned Rachel.
I'm going to make Tom a shirt. But
don't you tell him, Rachel. Well see
whether it's Tom OF the pattern that has
altered
Once more the mischevious light am
into Rachel's bright blue eyes.
81 wish all the world was mother in
laws" she cried gleefully. "Why, why
didn't / think of this beforego
"One can't think of everything, child"
said Mrs. Edmonstone consolingly.
Thomas Emondstone welcomed his mo-
Their cordially when he came home from
business.
"Tm SO glad you've COME" said he.
eve can have some of the nice old fash
toned dishes now. Rachel can't seem to
get the hang of them, although she has
always had your book of recipes to guide
her"
"Rachel's a good deal better cook than
ever l pretended to be-" said Mrs. Ed
mcnstone. ''They have patent egg beat
ers and cream whippers and raisin seed
ers, and all that sort of thing, now that
they didn't have in my day. l never
tasted nicer bread than Rachel makes,
and these popovcrs are Just delicious"
you're just saying that to encourage
Rachel" said Mr.. Edmonstone, with an
~incredulous smile. Things will u
smooth now you've come. That's n
comfort"
.sOh, / shouldn't think of interfering
in Rachel's Kitchen" said the old lady.
sPlease do, mother coaxed the wife,
not without a certain culver in her lip.
"Do let Tom have a "Reminiscences of the
old days while you are here"
"Well, just % you children say" con-
ceded the mother-in-law good humor-
edly..
She remained y week at her sons
house, during which period Of time Tom
was all exultant ~complacency.
"This," said be. lis something Hks