The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-11-21
ONE OF LIES LESSONS.
BY AMY RANDOLPH.


Postoffice, plunging through the snowdrifts
Ike a Polar bear and setting frost and cold
at deliberate defiance. For out in those
bleak Massachusetts hills no uniformed
postman came, nobody knew how many
times day, with letter-bag and whistle.
Ii people wanted their mails at Copperedgt
Farm they had to go after them.
Mrs. COpUeredge was hustling around the
. bright kitchen, busted in getting tea ready
a savory meal that meant not wattieS,
honey. cold roast pork and ounce jam.
Mrs. Copperedge prided herself on her
abilities as a hOusekeeper. All day long
she had been dyeing carpet-rags for mas
terpiece Of carpet which she was meditat-
ing-a wedding present TO her daughter,
Melinda Ann, who was soon to be married
10 a weil-t0-do young farmer of the neigh
0orhood-and now she came into the room
lust in time to hear the contents OF her hus-
bands letters.
"WhatP said Mrs. Co9peredge, "your
mother coming to live with us2 Copper
edge, never shall consent to that, IN the
world
Mr. Copperedge sat serenely gazing into
the FIRE, apparently quite undisturbed by
this expression Of his WlIeS sentiments.
'Why nOt?' said he.
"Why not2' shrlIy echoed HIS wife.
That's a mans question all over Do |
LOOK like a person to be domineered over and
dictated 10 by a mother-in-law?'
NO" said her husband, composedly, "a
can't say Won do. Phoebe Jane But my
mother don't want t. domineer aud dictate
so there's q pair Of your
No, there amt" said the lady. And
there never viii be. what's mOreW
Il think" said Mr.. COpperedge, reflect
lively, "She would ike the south room in the
yfr.r y 1f 4 mi NJ ipfr nov
And where am l 10 keep my feather
beds and spare pillows?" Indignantly de-
manded his wife "The south room is one
of all others that can't spare"
The west chamber, then?' suggested the
farmer
ers il that next season" said Mrs. Copper
edge, with depressed lips.
The little settin' room, out of the big
parlor?"
That's the room I always use when 1
quilt or weave" declared Mrs. Copperedge.
The old man glanced ShTewdIy at his wife.
81 guess, Phebe Jane" said he, the
trouble Is there amt no room for my mother
in your heart. II there was free quarters
there, there wouldn't be no trouble in find
Ing room in the old farm-house!"
a. Y gu may as well write to her that she
can't come" said Phoebe Jane. Shes got
other children. Let her 60 to them"
And she hustled out of the room, while
her better half sat still before the fire, with
out muscle OF his face stirring OF becOm-
ing relaxed.
through him, said she to herself. But
guess what have said will make some I'M
preston on MIN. One thing l know; I'll
have no peeplng, prylng, meddllng old
mOther-In-law about this house,
But es Mrs. Coppereige sat down to her
patchwork that evening a curious recOllec-
ali ff4I hnN T-la r2hI Ff h.ar
own good Old motler, who had died twenty
odd years ago, shot across her memory. She
had never seen tiis mother OF her huS-
band. COnperedIe was not a man 10 be
communicative on the subject OF his own
family relations, bat she knew that he both
loved and honored this venerable old ma
iron.
But for all that I think l am right"
said Mrs. C0ppeEedge to herself. 81 always
said ! wouldn't tolerate a mother-in-i w,
and | WON'T
While her husband sat opposite her calmly
reading the papers, and from the adjoining
best parlOr," where fire had been kim
died, the voices OF Melinda Ann and her
swain, Mi. Rufus EUdgman, could ever and
anon be heard.
want to hear the Presidents message ?"
said Mr.. CopperedEe at last. "Pll read it
aloud If you are anyways curious"
Just let me run upstairs first and get a
bag Of pieces" said Mrs. COppeUedge. I'm
Clean out Of tuTkey-red blocks"
So while her husband trimmed the lamp
and adjusted his speCtacles she hurried, in
the dark, up into the bedroom above the
best paTlQr, where she kept her treasures of
calico and cambria in bureau drawer. In
the floor there was stove-pipe hole, stuffed
full Of waste paper, communicating with the
room below, which had been unused for
some time, and without the slightest idea OF
eayesdTopplng or any other suFTeptitiOus
hut ala iralt ard hat II ~
,liudl Aun in the room below-Melnda Ann,
who evidently had not studied that especial
feature Of "ShakeEpeaTe" which commends
low voice" as being most excellent pos
session OF wonIankind, and who generally
pitched her accents on high q.
And then" said Melinda Ann, 'if any,
thing should happen to pa-and we're all
mortal, you know, Rufus"
Yes" blsndly assented her sutton, we're
all mortal"
Then ma could come home and liv with
u.s." said Melinda Ann; land the little red
room would be the very one for her, and"
mo you don't" said Mr.. Hodgman.
''Ehp said Melinda Ann.
mo mother-in-law for mep' said the
young man, with emphasis. Not if know
it. That's kind of article l don't care 10
have about my house"
''B-but," said Melinda Ann, scarcely
willing to believe her own ears, she's my
mother"
Exactly" said Hodgman, land she's all
very well in her place. But her place amt
my place, he! he hep
Mrs. Copperedge stood bolt upright be-
side the treacherous stovepipe-hole, while
the expression of her cOuntenance would
have been a study for Hogarth himself
how lnenaDly coarse and heartleSs had this
common. formula on the sub ect of mothers
In-law seemed to her! bow devoid of all
logic and common sense! As If she, the
guardian Of Melinda AIMS infancy, the
loving custodian of her ripper years, were
not the truest and most valuable friend she
could ever have! And was she to be shut
out from all companiOnship with her own
child, because, fOIsooth, people chose to
laugh and sheer about mothers in-law
Hodgmar seemed brute. fool; Melinda
Ann was strangely lacking in duty and
principle ever to allow him to speak in such
Q fashion as thisl
And then, with lightning-like rapidity, it
flashed across her mind what she herself
had said TO her husband that very evenin.
upon that identical subject.
IT'S judgment upon me, so it isl" said
Mrs. Copperedge, bursting into the first
real genuine tears that she had shed for a
year.
She went straight downstairs.
Copperedge," said she, "Pm wrong"
Nil Copperedge looked up in grave, kindly
surprise.
Aboutyour mother, explained Mrs. Cop.
peredge she shall. come here. and wei.
come. any time she pleases. And Pm try
and be daughter to her."
Phoebe Jane" said Mr.. Cooperedge, 90
always knew you had good heart. And
don't believe you'll ever regret what YOU'RE
saving now"
Grandma Copperedge came the next sprip,
"a sweet, saintly-faced old lady, who was
like household angel at the heartl-stone
and who regarded her sons wife as littll
less than perfect. Aud Melinda Ann mar
Tied Mrs. Hodgman and went away, anC
neither bride nor groom ever mistrusteC
that Mrs. Copperedge heard the Latter
opinion of lDothers-in-law.
1.-THE Lord knew that l needed lesson. >
said Mrs. Copperedge. And think that
tie way he chose to give it to mep-N. Y
Ledger
They Went to Stockton.
Detectiyes Dillon and Crockett have beef