Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-08-12
A MOTHER IN LAW.

ST wouldn't have believed it of you,
Rachel, said Mrs. Edmonstone plant
lively. "No, wouldn't, not unless Betsy
Tacker had told me; and Betsy, she
never told a lie no more than George
Washington did,"
why, mother, what are you talking
about2" questioned Mrs. Thomas Ed
monstone, untying the elder lady's bon
net strings and relieving her of splint
basket, a 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 NINE" faltered Mrs.
Edmonstone,
Mother, you know never could have
said such thing |" cried Rachel.
"Well, 1t wasn't exactly that; but
Betsy Tacker heard you say you wished
there was no such thing as mother in
law.
aOh, cried Rachel, with a hysterical
little laugh, II 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 me2"
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- ira ordinary speech,
Rachel, about mother in law in general"
ut was Tom" said the wife. He
was so aggravating !"
Thomas always was aggrayatIng.
said Mrs. Edmonstone, stirring the cup
of tea that Rachel had brought her.
What was it about now? The break
fast cakes2"
.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 shirtsi"
well, you know he said it was such
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 Idia acknowledged Mrs. Edmon-
stone, with 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 make any allow
ance for difference in times and customs,
sighed Rachel. HE wanted homemade
shirts, and homemade shirts he would
hayel"
"And you made emf"
"Yes, made them.
you were great goose, reflectively
spoke Mrs. Edmonstone.
"And--and Tom swore dreadfully the
first time he put one on"
II don'ti the least doubt it. I"
aAnd he said they set like meal bags,
and that they twisted his neck around as
IL he had just been hanged, and grasped
him on the shoulders like policemanl
oh, I can't tell you what he didn't sayl"
aBless mel" said Mrs. Edmonstone.
Ale told me his mothers shirts set like
q glove, and fitted him perfectly-and
why could / not turn out q shirt like
those? And IL was then, mother dear,
suddenly fiinging her arms around the
old lady's plump. comfortable neck.
athat / lost my head, and told him
wished there wasn't such thing as
mother In law in the worldl 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. But,
oh, those shirtsi I've been ripping them
apart and sewing them together again,
and rounding of gusset here, and tax
ing in plait there, until / have got 80
that dream Of them at night; and the
more try them on the worse they fit,
and the more unreasonable does Tom be-
come. MY mother never made such
work Of il az thisr he says"
Thomas forgets. observed Mrs. Ed
monstone severely.
And am sure, II things 20 on Like
this, added Rachel, pushing her short
brown curls Off her forehead, twill end
In q separation on account of incompat
ibility Of temper"
4No,it won't, my dear. said the moth
er In law. Here, gst me the pattern and
some shirting muslin. and pair Of scis.
sors.
What are you going 70 do, mothers1
eagerly Questioned Rachel
I'm going 10 meks Tom shirt Bus