The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1891-03-13
A MOTHERIN-LAW.
How a Fault-Finding Husband
Was Trapped by Her Aid


Was Trapped by Her Aid
Il wouldn't have believed it of you,
Rachel" said Mrs. EdnonstCnc. plain
lively. NO. | wouldn't, not unless Betsy
Tacler 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 Ed
monstone, untying the elder lsdy's bon
net strings and relieving her OF splint
basket, black silk bag, waterproof
cloak and an umbrella
And I've come to see If it's true"
added the old lady.
If what's true, mother?"-
That You said You wished there
wasn't no such person as m-me!' fall
tered Mrs. Edmonstone.
Mother, you know l never could
have said such thing" cried out
Rachel.
Wen, il wasn't exactly that; but
Betsy Tacker heard you say you wished
there was no such thing q mother
in-law."
OH cried Rachel. with a hysterical
little laugh, Il plead guilty 1 did say
that But oh, mother! it was under
meant you. How could I, when you
have always been 50 good TO ne?''
Il knew il couldn't be true said
Mrs. Edmonstonc, settling herself in
the easiest rocking-chair and nodding
her cap-strings comfortably. But how
came YOU to make that eN-tra-Or-dinary
speech, Rachel, about mothers-in-law
in general?"
1T was Tom" said the young wife.
"He was SO aPgravating!'
Thomas always was aCgravating."
said Mrs Edmonstone. stirring the cup
of tea that Rachel had brought her.
And what was il about now? The
breakfast cal1es?"
''Oh. you remember about the break
fast cakes, don't you?" said Rachel.
with merry mischief sparkling in her
eyes NO, II wasn't the breakfast
cakes this time; it was the shirts"
The shirts?"
''Wen. you know he said 1t was such
wasteful. extravagant proceeding to
buy shirts ready-Inade," 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"
so / did," acknowledged Mrs. Ed
monstone, with 4 groan. But that
was in the old times. before you could
buy such a good article as they have
now"
Yes. but Tom doesn't mako any al
lowance for difference in times and Gus
TOMS" sighed Rachel. He wanted
homemade shirts, and homemade shirts
he would have"
And you made emf"
Yes, / made them"
You We're agreat goose" reflective
" spoke Mrs. Edmonstone
'And-Hnd Tom svore dreadfully the
first time he put one 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 il he had just been hanged, and
<yrasped him on the shoulders like po-
hcemani oh, I can't tell you what he
.Sidn't say
Bless me!' said Mrs. Edmorstone.
He told me his mothers shirt. set
ike 4 glove, and firted him perfectly
and why couldn't turn out Z shirt ike
those? And il was then. mother dear
suddenly finging her arms s-uund the
old lady's plump, comfortable neck
that / lost my head, and told him /
wished there wasn't such a thing es a
mother-in-law in the world And Betsy
TaclHer sat in the se~ing-room altering
over my dolnan in the spring STYLE and
] suppose she must have heard me-
Don't mind ii, my dear" said Mrs.
Ednonstone-
No, Irvon't, protested Rachel. '.I3ut,
oh, those shirts. I've been ripping them
apart and sewing them together again,
and rounding off a gusset here, and tax
ing in plai; there, until I've got SO
that dream of 'em at night; and the
more try 'em on the worse they ft,
and the more unreasonable Tom be-
comes My mother never made such
work Of it as this says he"
Thomas forgets-" observed Mrs Ed
monstone, severely.
And am sure, If things go on like
this" added Rachel. pnshing her short |
brown curls off her forehead, 1T Will |
end in separation on account of in |
compatibility of temper"
mo. 1T won't, my dear" said the /
mother-in-law. Here, get me the pat
tern and some shirting muslin, and
pair of scissors
What are you going TO do. mother?"
eagerly questioned Rachel
I'm going to make Tom shirt But |
don't You tell him, Rachel Well see
whether it is Tom or the pattern that
has altered
Once more the mischievous light came
INTO Rschel's bright blue eyes
Il wish all the world were mothers
n-law!" she cried gleefully. ''Why
lidn't / think of this before?''
''One can't think of every thing,
hild." said Mrs Edmonstone, consol-
ngly.
Thomas Edmonstone welcomed his
mother cordially when he came home
rom business.
I'm so glad you've GOMEZ said he,