The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1891-10-10
A MOTHER IN LAW.


Rachel, said Mrs. Edmonstone plaint-
lively. "No, l wouldn't, not unless Betsy
Tacker had told me; and Betsy, she
never told lie no more than George
Washington did"
"Why, mother, what are you talking
ubout?" questioned Mrs, Thomas Ed
monstone, untying the elder lady's bon
net strings and relieving her of splint
basket, a black silk bag, a waterproof
cloak, and an umbrella.
And I've come to see if it's true, p"
added the old lady.
"If what's true, motherp"
THAT you said you wished there wasn't
no such person as m-me!" !" faltered Mrs.
Edmonstone.
Mother, you know never could have
said such thing !" cried Rachel.
well, it wasn't exactly that; but
Betsy Tacker heard you say you wished
there was no such thing as mother in
law"
"Oh, " cried Rachel, with a hysterical
little laugh, 81 plead guilty! did say
that. But it was under such strong
provocation, and l never meant you.
How could l, when you have always
been so good to me?"
II knew it couldn't be true, said Mrs.
Edmonstone, settling herself in the
easiest rocking chair and nodding her
cap strings comfortably. "But how came
you to make that ex-tra-or-di speech,
Rachel, about mother in law in general?"
ut was Tom, said the wife. "He
was so aggravating !"
Thomas always was aggravating,
said Mrs. Edmonstone, stirring the cup
of tea that Rachel had brought her.
"What was it about now? The break
fast cakes?"
"Oh, you remember about the break
fast cakes, don't your" said Rachel, with
merry mischief sparkling in her eyes.
"No, it wasn't the breakfast cakes this
time; it was the shirts.
"The shirtsG"
"Well, you know he said it was such a
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 de-
clared you always used to make his shirts
at home, every stitch, before he was mar
ried"
$50 Ibid, acknowledged Mrs. Edmon-
stone, with a groan. "But that was in
the old times, before you could buy such
good article as they have now.
"Yes, but Tom doesn'tmake any allow
ance for difference in times and customs, 4"
sighed Rachel "He wanted homemade
shirts, and homemade shirts he would
havel"
"And you made 'emr"
"Yes, made them.
"You were a great goose, reAectively
spoke Mrs. Edmonstone.
"And-and Tom swore dreadfully the
first time he put one Oh"
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 policeman
| Oh, l can't tell you what he didn't sayl"
BLESS mel" said Mrs. Edmonstone.
"He told me his mothers shirts set like
q glove, and fitted him perfectly-and
why could not turn out a shirt like
those? And it was then, mother dear,
suddenly Ainging 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.
"No, Iwon't, protested Rachel. @But,
oh, those shirtsl I've been ripping them
apart and sewing th0m together again,
and rounding off gusset here, and tax,
ing in a plait there, until have got SC
that dream of them at night; and the
more l try them on the worse they fit
and the more unreasonable does Tom be
come. My mother never made suct
work of it as thisr he says.
Thomas forgets, observed Mrs. Ed
nlonstone severely,
And am sure, if things go on like
this, =" added Rachel, pushing her shor
brown curls off her forehead, "itwill enc
in a separation on account of incompat
ibility of temper"
"No,.i won't, my dear, said the moth
er in law, Here, getme the pattern anC
some shifting muslin, and pair of scis
sors.
What are you going TO do, motherf'
eagerly questioned Rachel
"Tm going TO make Tom a shirt. Blu
don't you tell him, Rachel. Wen So
yybather IL is Tom or the Dattarn that la
altered"