Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-21

she.
Inmy mind I cast about what to say and
settled on the first convenient excuse that
came into my head.
said L
We'll, come in, now that you are here,'
said she, land get warm It's awful cold
weather for this time of year, isn't it,"
Kinder said I. with an asserting nod.
'Let me see" said my mother-in-law. az
she took steaming platter OF ham and
eggs out OF the oven and lifted shining
coffee pot from the stove. "Row old are
you2'
"One-and-twenty,' said L
s'Do Won Think said she pensively feel
ing her chin, that you are able TO take care
of the placel There's deal to do. you
know, on farm like this. Do you think
| you're up to the work."
'sOf course 1 think so,' said I. wonder
| ing what on earth my mother-in-law meant
.'You are married, suppose said she
sob, yes,p said 1, swallowing the hot
coffee and winking my eyes very hard,
'slm married. -
ssCan your wife make herself generally
useful about the plaees" sharply demanded
! the old lady.
Certainly she CAM said I, obeginning
vaguely to see my way through the mists
! of perplexity that had heretofore obscured
| my brain.
Eighteen answered.
Mrs. Martin frowned.
what does possess girls to get married
| nowadays" said she. ''before they've left
| off dolls and patchwork2''
| looked thoughtfully down at the pat
tern OF my plata pink Chinaman cross,
| ing carmine bridge, with Two very red
! willows dropping at the far end of it, and
some impossible streaks of water below
and made no direct answer. Ny mother
| in-law was doubtlessly laboring under
misrepresentation, but I did not exactly see
that it was my business to set her right.
| She had evidently engaged hired man,
and took it for granted that was the per-
sonage in question.
And with equal curtness replied;
| Anything
''Come like that, y said my mother-in-
| law, rubbing her hands. SAT least you are
not afraid of work. Do you understand
cows and horses?''
seWell-not much" owned. ''There
were no cattle at my last place." (Which
was very true, for had been clerk in
| bank at $500 year.. But I had not the
least doubt that could soon learn, if you
would kindly show me what is expected
| of me-"
'Can you cut wood2" she asked.
Certainly said l, rejecting to myself
that any fool might do that.
She asked one or two questions more,
which 1 answered with the blind faulty
which attends youth and confidence. She
seemed pleased with my willingness to
undertake anything and everything.
''And now about wages, ''said she, briskly.
"What will you ask-for your own services
and those of your wife-by the month";
| fitted the tips of my fingers refectively
together.
las we are both rather inexperienced, !"
said I, well agree to work the first month
| for our board. After that you shall pay US
| what you think we are both worth. -
"Hum-hump' said my mother-in-law.
''That's sensible position-a very sensi-
BILE one, indeed. Well, send for me young
woman at once. In the meantiYe Tll show
| you over the place and explafh to yoIt tie
nature of your duties" .s.s7s
So hired myself out to mykmethe
as farm hand, without further ceremony,
and Immediately wrote and posted letter.
! to Nettie
| Here's very nice beginning" said to.
myself. st is now my business togive e
| much satisfaction as possible"
| Fortune favored me in more FaySthan
one. My mother-in-law sprained. her ankle
| on the second day, and l played cook as
well as man-of-all-work with distinguished
| success, and had the satisfaction of hear
| ing her say to old Miss Priscilla Perkins
that ''she didn't know when she'd taken
| such notion to any one as she had to the
| new hired mani"
s'He's too young and cookbook lg to suit
me,'' observed Miss Priscilla, pursuing up
| her steel-trap of mouth.
''He is good-looking. amt hel' said my
| mother-in-law. 'But he's dreadful handy
about the house, and he amt one bit afraid
| of work And you'd ought to have seen
| the oysters he stewed for my supper last
night, and the cup of tea he made. Why, L
| don't miss Jemima Stiles one bit. If only
1 CT
such man as this!''
1 smiled to myself as I laid out the kim
| dlings for the breakfast fire. My accom-
plishments as "jack-of-all-trades'' had
| never done me much good before. But
| now they were certainly winning me some
| credit in the world.
At the end of the third day she had told
me the whole story of her daughters runa-
way match with a 'good-for-nothing young
city chap" On the fourth day she had
| consulted with me as to whether it was bet
ter to put the sO-acre lot into oats or rye,
and 1 had won her heart by taking opieces
the old hall CLOCK, which had not gone for
ten years, and restoring it to running order
| once again.
And on the evening of the same day
| Ne.tie arrived, all blushing, and trembling.
sob, Dickl" said she, ''is she very
'7My DEAR" said I, ''she hasn't an idea
who am"
But. Dick"
'sNo butts my darline,'' said 1 cheer
fully. "Let US be Julius Caesar over again
| we come; we see: we conquerp"
And 1 dragged my unwilling little wife
| into the back-room, where my mother-in-
law lay on q sofa nursing her ankle.
Here's my wife, ma'am,' said /, land
| hope she'll give satisfaction"
Mrs. Martin jumped up, in spite Of she
wounded ankle.
'Nettiel" she cried in blank amazeheHe.
.'Oh, mother, motherl" faltered Nettie,
throwing both hands around the old lady's
neck, ''please forgive me this time, and I'll
never elope againi" Z
"Please, ma'am, We'll be good" addedi
And my motter'in-law relented on he
spot. How could she do otherwise2
tHenrietta,n said she. you've been q
naughty girl-there's no denying that. But
your husband seems to be a handy man
about the house, and I'm tired of living
here alone. So take OF your things and go
to work getting supper. As for you,
Richard
eyes, ma'am, know" said I, '1've been
playing double part and deceived you all
along. But wanted you to like me-and
you know" 1 added, sail is fair in love and
warr'
'Well, do like you, little, y admitted
my mother-in-law. '.And now that have
seen you. Dick, don't so much wonder at
the way Nettle behaved
After that sheneVer scolded US any more.
| And honestly believe that this is the only
case on record in which a mother-in-law
was conquered III so brief q campaign Net