The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1893-08-10
HIS MOTHER-IN-LAW.
She Was Not the Hard, Cnforgiv-
ing Creature He Expected

stood on the threshold grimly survey.
ing me with eyes that shone like hard,
greenish- h-blue gooseberries behind her
spectacles. For such modern trifles as
eyeglasses were as unsuited to my
mother-in-law's fine Roman nose as
point lace collar would be to the Venus
di Milo. could feel her glance pene.
trate to the very marrow of my bones
and yet contrived to keep a bold front
as stood facing her.
1t was rather curious complication.
My mother-in-law had not the least
idea who was. had cheerfully in
tended to take her by surprise; but now
that the eventful moment had arrived.
my courage, like that of Bob Acres, as
jefferson shows him, was oozing out al
the ends of my fingers.
My name is Richard Dalton. was
then just twenty-one, with face that
was not absolutely ugly. sublime au.
dacity, and pockets not particularly
well lined, and / had just distinguished
myself by running away with pretty
girl from boarding school.
But, Dick" she had demonstrated,
"we have nothing to live on"
Don't be a goose, darling!'' had been
my reply. What do people need tc
live on? All the wants of this world,
more or less, are fictitious. A crust OF
bread and glass of water three times
day, and now and then suit oi
clothes-we must be poor, indeed, if we
can't manage to compass that"
Nettie had looked admiringly upon me
and acquiesced in my argument We
had taken board at the Angel Hill
Hotel" and began our honeymoon roy.
| ally. At the end of month mine host
had become little importunate on the
! subject of his BILL and Nettie's mother
had written letter to her signifying
that she wanted nothing whatever to
do with us. We had made our own bed,
she signified, and now we might lie on
it.
"Oh, Dick!' cried Nettie, clasping her
hands: 'what are we to do?'
Hanged if know!' was my rather
blank response. But don't cry, dar-
ling, I'll go and see her myself"
You, Dick?"
81, myself"
Shell have nothing to say to you"
''She can't help herself 4"
"She'll turn you out of doors"
"Well see about that"
But, Dick, you don't l;now-you
can't have any idea-how terrible she
is" sighed Nettie.
'St George conquered the dragon
my love-" | asserted, checrfully, 'and
mean to conquer your mother So pacl
my valise, there's a darling. and I'll bt
off before the landlord comes back from
Liverpool"
But, Dick, if he's troublesome, wha
can / say to him?" appealed poor littl,
frightened Nettie.
Tell him I've gone out of town anC
shall be back in few days." said l
confidently.
But valiantly as I spoke, my menta
: sensations by no means corresponds
with this bold part. was beginning
7 dimly to realize what very unwis
step l had taken and also persuade'
poor Nettie to take.
And l was secretly making up m,
mind that if Nettie's mother refused e
receive us, would ship myself off t.
. sea as second mate or third purser, o
:, something of that sort, send my ad
vanced wages to my poor little wifi
= and commence the world over again il
= this irregular fashion.
But when / walked resolutely up t.
my mother-in-law's door she greete,
me as if had been expected for tn
:, last week or so.
you've come, have you?' was tn
salutation.
"Well, yes,'' admitted, 1--WE come
What on earth detained you?" sal
!, she.
In my mind cast about what to sa
and settled on the first convenient ez
cuse that came into my head.
1.-THE train was delayed at Boyle
!. town." said I.
"Well, come in, now that your
here" said she, land get warm. 1t
= awful cold weather for this time .
year. isn't it?"
r. "Yes," said I, with an asserting not
4 LET me see," said my mother-in-lav
a rs she took q steaming platter of hal
- and eggs out of the oven and lifted
It shining coffee pot from the stove; 'ho
n old are you?"
"a "One and twenty" said L.
,s "Co you think" said she, pensivel
y
a to take care of the place? There's
great deal to do, you know, on a far
like this. Do you think you're up
is the work?'
If "Of course think so," said |, wol
N dering what on earth my mother-i
y law meant.
t, "You are married, suppose" sa
D. she.
d ''Oh, yes," said l, swallowing the h
coffee and winking my eyes very har
d "I'm married"
e; Can your wife make herself genera
N ly useful about the place." sharply d
n manded the old lady.
Is Certainly she can," said /, beginnir
N vaguely to see my way through tt
a. mists of perplexity that had heretofo
% obscured my brain.
D. "How old is she?" asked Mrs. Marti
IN 'Eiphteen - answered