The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-11-05
RACHEL'S EXPERIMENT.

II WOuldn nave believed 1t OF YOU
Rachel" said Mrs. Edmonstone plain
lively. mo, l wouldn't, not unles.
Betsy Tacker. the manly maker, had
told me; and Betsy she never told lie
no more than George Washington did.
"Why, mother. what are you talking
about| questioned Mrs. Thomas Edmon.
stone, untying the elder lady's bonnet
strings and relieving her Of splint bas-
ket, black silk bag, a waterproof cloak
and an umbrella
"And I've come to see if it's true, "
added the old lady.
eff what's true, mother?"
THAT you said you wished there
wasn't no such person as m-mev" falter-
ed Mrs. Edmonstone.
Mother. you know never could have
said such thing" cried out Rachel.
"Well, it wasn't quite exactly that;
but Betsy Tacker she heard you say you
wished there wasn't no such thing as a
mother-in-law."
"OhI" cried Rachel, with hysterical
little laugh, II plead guilty / did say
that. But, oh, motherl it was under
such strong provocation, and l never
meant you. How could l, when you
have always-always been so good to
me?"
Il knew it couldn't be true" said Mrs
/ Edmonstone, settling herself in the east
est rocking chair and nodding her cap
strings comfortably. But how came
you to make that ex- binary speech,
Rachel, about mothers-in-law in gen.
eral?"
1T was Tom" said the young wife.
He was so aggravating!'
Thomas always was aggravating,"
said Mrs. Edmonstone, stirring the cup
Of tea that Rachel had brought her.
And what was it about now? The
breakfast cakes?"
"Oh, you remember about the break
fast cakes, don't your" said Rachel, with
merry mischief sparkling in her eyes.
mo, it wasn't the breakfast cakes this
time; it was the shirts"
THE shirts!"
well, you know he said it was suci,
wasteful, extravagant 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 groan. But that was
in the old times, before you could buy
such good article as they have now"
Eyes, but Tom don make any allow
ance for difference i'll times and Gus
TOMS" sighed Rachel He wanted
home made shirts, and home made shirts
he would have!''
''And you made 'emY'
Eyes, made them"
"You were great goose" reflectively
spoke Mrs. Edmonstone.
"And-and Tom swore dreadfully the
first one he put on
al 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 po-
icemanl Oh, can't tell you what lie
didn't sayI'
Bless mel" said Mrs. Edmonstone.
He told me his mothers shirts set
like glove. and fitted him perfectly
and why couldn't turn out shirt like
those? And it was then, mother DEAR"
suddenly finging her arms around the
old lady's plump, comfortable neck,
that | lost my head, and told him
wished there wasn't such a thing as a
mother-in-law in the world! And Betsy
Tacker sat in the sewing room altering
over my dolman in the spring style. and
| suppose she must have heard me-"
Don't mind it, my dear" said Mrs
Edmonstone
mo. | won't" protested Rachel
Bat. oh. those shirts! I've been rip
ping them apart and sewing them to-
gether again, and rounding off gusset
here and taking in plat there, until
I've got SO that dream Of 'em at night,
and the more | try EN- on the worse
they fit, and the more unreasonable Tom
becomes. My mother never made such
work of it as thisr says he"
Thomas forgets." observed Mrs. Ed
monstone severely.
And I'm sure if things go on like
this" added Rachel, pushing her short
brown curls of 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 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 or the pattern that has /
altered"
Once more the mischevious light came |
into Rachel's bright blue eyes.
II wish all the world was mother-in- !
laws" she cried gleefully. Why, why !
didn't l think of this before"
"One can't think Of everything. child !
said Mrs. EdmonstOEe consolngly.
Thomas Emondstone welcomed MS mo
ther cordially when he came home from
business
I'm so glad you've come" said he |
I'VE can have some Of the nice old fash /
Toned dishes now. Rachel can't seem to /
get the hang Of them. although she he's /
always had your book Of recipes to guide
her"
"Rachel's good deal better cook than
ever | pretended 70 BE-" said Mrs. Ed
monstone. They have patent egg beat