Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1891-01-31

II wish all the world were rzothers
in-lawl'' she cried gleefully. ''Why
didn't l think Of this before2"
'One can't think Of every thing.
child" said Mrs. Ed1nonstone. consol-
ingly.
Thomas Edmonstone welcomed his
mother cordially when he came home
| from business.
"I'm so glad you've come,!'' said he.
| "We can have some of the nice old
seem to get the hang Of them, although
! she has always had your book of re-
cipes to guide her"
"Rachel's good deal better cook
than ever pretended to be-" said Mrs.
Edmonstone. ''They have patent egg
beaters and cream-whippers and raisin-
seeders, and all that sort of thing now.
that they didn't have in my day.
never tasted nicer bread than Rachel
makes, and these pop-overs are deli
cious."
"You're just saying that to encourage
! Rachel" said Mr.. Edmonstone, With an
incredulous smile Things will run
smooth now you've come. That's one
comfort"
"Oh, shouldn't think Of interfering
in Rachel's Kitchen" said the old lady.
| "Please do, mother" coaxed the wife,
not without certain quiver in her lip.
''Do let Tom have a Renaissance Of the
old days while you are here"
! "Wel, just as you children say"
| conceded the mothcr-in-law, good
humoredly.
house, during which period Of time Tom
| all far nj
| "This," said he, lis something like
living. feel myself a boy again when
! taste these apple-fritters."
They're not bad," said Rachel, who
had made them with her own skillful
hands. And she helped herself to a little
| of the sauce.
And why didn't you learn my moth
| er's knack of making such pie-crust an
this?" demanded Tom. ''There's no dys-
pepsia here"
I'm glad you're pleased" said
Rachel, with a guilty glance at her
mother-in-law. "Oh, by the way, Tom,
the last of the set of shirts is finished
now. Will you put it on tomorrow"
II suppose So" ungraciously uttered
Tom. "Will set like fury. l dare say,
like all the rest of them!"
"You might at least give it a trial"
Didn't say I would?" still more un
graciously. ''Those shirts will be the
death of me yet" he added, turning to
his mother with a groan, while Rachel
sat steadily observing the pattern Of
the tablccloth.
The breakfast stood smoking on the
| table next morning when Mr.. Edmon-
stone came into the room twisting him.
self as if he were practising to be a
| human cOrkScrew Mrs EdmonStOne
glanced timidly up at him. ''S
Doesn't it fit, Tom?" she questioned.
"Fiti Just look at it, will you?" he
retorted. Fit! Hangs like window
curtain around my neck-pinches my
wrist like pair of handouts! feel as
| if were in a strait t-jacket"-writhing
impatiently to and fro. 'Oh, might
have known it beforehand. You
haven't an idea what the word fit
means. I wish, mother, you could teach
this wife Of mine how to make a decent
shirt!"
"Thomas," said Mrs Edmonstone SOL
emnly, transfxing him with the glisten-
| ing spheres of her spectacle glasses,
"you are not very polite. made that
shirt"
you, mother!''
"Ycs, myself. Just as used TO
make shirts for you in the old times
that you're always signing after. I've
been working at it ever since I've been
in the house. Throw away the pattern,
| Rachel, and don't waste any more time
trying to make your husbands shirts"
she added. ITS an economy Of time
and temper as we'll as of money, to buy
them ready-made. And as for the cook
ing you have been praising up so elo-
quently all the time I've been here,
Tom, l haven't touched pot or a pan.
It's all your wifes work. So much for
! imagination! Oh, you needn't hang
your head SO shcepishly; you're neither
better nor worse than most men," went
on Mrs. Edmonstonc. II never saw the
man yet that didn't need to hear q little
wholesome truth now and then. You've
| got the best and sweetest little wife in
the world"
"Mother." pleaded Rachel, trying to
put her hand over the old lady's mouth,
but Mrs. Edmonstone resolutely per-
sisted
And it's my advice to you to try to
treat her as she deserves"
IL don't know but I have been
rather cranky of late" said Tom, self
consciously, now that | come to think
of it,
Cranky! should think so," said
the old lady. I'm sure | don't know
what the worlds coming to. Here's
little Georgy toddling around with his
wooden cart The first you know he'll
be telling his wife about the wonderful
successes his mother used to make in
this, and that, and the other thing
We've all got to come to it."
And Georgy'll be right" said Tom
who. after all, had a magnanimous
I've been! Hang the homemade shirts!
I'll buy 'cm out Of the store next
time! Kiss me, Rachcl-and you, too,
mother. And be sure you let me have
n dish of scalloped oysters when ]
come home to dinner" The oysters Ra