Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-08-07
HER MOTHER-IN-LAW.

u
Wedding cards, ehp" said Mrs.
Pilot, examining the natty little docu-
ments that the postman had left on his
latest errand.
"Oh; dear me-some poor soul is 60
ing to be disenchanted."
Disseminated. Aunt Lou!" spoke up
her pretty niece Miriam, with wide
open eyes.
That's exactly what it amounts to-"
said Mrs. Pilot.
But, Aunt Lou, l thought you were
such an advocate for matrimony."
$50 used to be-"
You love Uncle Dick, don't youp"
''Of course do" said Mrs. Pilot.
guiding her scissors skilfully through
the fold of rosc-colored flannel which
we're eventually to be fashioned into a
baby's cloak.
Then. what do you mean by the
groan you gave when you saw those
wedding cardsp'
''Ah. dear Miriam" said Mrs. Pilot,
pushing the red-brown curls out of her
eyes, lit is so hard to explain!"
But, do tell me, aunty dearP"
cohNeu MlIluIll.
well, there's that brown cashmere
gown of mine hat Mrs. Stitchett sent
home this morning. There it lies
on the sofa. It's love of a thing,
the latest color and the most delightful
pattern. but | haven't had the heart to
look at it since Dick took il in. Dick
glanced at the bill. and said, in that odd
dry way of his: Seventeen shillings
for making dress! My mother al
ways made her own!'
''lt's the way all men talk, Aunt
Lou" soothed Miriam.
IL stopped yesterday at the bakers
and brought home roll ofsponge cake.
Dick asked me what it was-and when
told him he remarked, gloomily,
that nobody ever thought of buying
cake when he was a boyn"
That's such "A trille, Aun Lou"
when spoke of going out to the
Ladies Society this afternoon he
shrugged his shoulders and observed
that he saw now why l had neither
time to bake nor sew-it was all going
and gadding OF course. after that |
remained at homer
Don't mind him, Aunt Lou" said
She peacemaker. Its only dyspepsia"
There's another cause of complaint"
said his wife, laying down the little
sleeve-pattern and cutting deity
around it. II don't cook things AS his
mother cooked them! He calls my
soup, dish-water. and my bread clock
weightsr Oh, you may laugh, Miriam.
So did |, Al iirst--so should | now, If
the constant fall of these everlasting
drops hadn't worn deep wound into
my hearl l tell you. child. this house
is haunted by the ghost of Richard
mother!"
lis she dead. Aunt Loup"
Not that know of, answered Mrs.
Pilot. But she haunts me all the
same. No, Betsy; didn't | tell you |
was not AZ nome this afternoonp"
"Yes'm," said the hoarse-voiced
handmaiden "but this amt no calling
company. She's come wild two Trunks
and bandbox atop of a cab, num-"
'Don'tmako company of me, my
dear, said a cozy. confidential voice;
and portly old lady. with gray curls
IN each side of her face, trundled into
= the room. "Its Louisa, isn't itp Kiss
me, my dear; I'm Richards mother
come to surprise him."
All her life long Mrs. Pilot junior,
had entertained a holy horror of
mothers-in-law; all the years she had
been married she had secretly rejoiced
that her mother-in-law was so many
miles away; yet IL fifteen minutes she
was sobbing heartily. with her head on
A,.fl for AL oil
bombazene shoulder, and all her
little troubled secrets were safely con.
tided to this mother-coniessor.
Yes, yes. dear; know just how it
is said Mamma Pilot, patting Louisa's
head as if she were II baby. Richard
means WELL but men are men. His
father was just like him. Richard must
be made to hear reason"
AT that moment Betsy presented her.
self, ROBBED like unto the Queen OF Sheba
in all her glory. in green gown, a
scarlet shawl. a crushed raspberry hat
aud olive-colored mitts.
PHASE, ma'am, I'm going now," said
she. Aud she vanished.
Mamma Pilot opened her pleasant
old eyes.
dear. your girl isn't going TO leave you
in this unceremouious manner"
Its her Thursday afternoon OUT
explained Louisa mournfully. I've
got to go down into the kitchen now,
and get dinner"
You'll do nothing of the sort my
dear" said Mamma Pilot. Now, look
here, I'll get dinner! Wen surprise
Dick with some of his old mothers
cooking, and see if he'll appreciate it
any better than he does yourss. Don't
you betray me now"
Louisa's eyes sparkled. I'D die soon.
or" said she. ''Oh, You dear, blessed
mother-in-law. why have you never
come to my rescue beforep'
Were all human my dear" said the
old lady "And there's no teacher like