The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-06-22
HIS MEDITERRANEAN.
She Was Not the Hard, Unforgiv-
ing Creature He Expected.

ing me with eyes that shone ike hard,
greenish-blue gooseberries behind her
spectacles. For such modern trifies as
eyeglasses were as unsuited to my
mother-in-law's fine Roman nose as a
point lace collar would be 10 the Venus
| di Milo. | could feel her glance pene-
tTate to the very marrow of my bones;
and yet l contrived to keep bold front
as l stood facing her.
II was rather a curious complication.
My mother-in-law had not the least
idea who l 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 at
the ends OF ny fingers.
Ny name is Richard Dalton. I was
then just tpventy-one, with a face that
was not absolutely ugly, sublime au-
dacity. and pockets not particularly
well lined, and 1 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 to
live on? AL 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 of
! 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 a month mine host
had become little importunate on the
subject of his BILL and Nettie's mother
had written a 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, myselfr'
''She'n have nothing to say to you"
''She can't help herself
She'll turn you out of doors"
''We'n see about that"
But, Dick, you don't know-you
can't have any idea-how terrible she
is" sighed 'Nettie.
EST. George conquered the dragon,
my love-" asserted, cheerfully, ''and l
mean to conquer your mother. So pack
nv valise, there's darling, and I'll be
off before the landlord comes back from
Liverpool
''But, Dick, if he's troublesome, what
can 1 say to him?" appealed poor little
frightened Nettie.
Tell him I've gone out of town and
shall be back in few days." said l,
confidently.
But valiantly as spoke, my mental
sensations by no means correspondent
with this bold part. l was beginning
dimly to realize what very unwise
step I had taken and also persuaded
poor Nettie to take.
And L was secretly making up my
mind that if Nettie's mother refused to
receive US, would ship myself off to
sea as second mate or third purser, or
something of that sort, send my adj
vanced wages to my poor little wife
and commence the world over again in
this irregular fashion.
But when walked resolutely up to
my mother-in-law's door she greeted
me as if I had been expected for the
last week or so.
g.N
salutation.
''Well, yes" I admitted, Give come"
''What on earth detained you?" said
she.
In my mind cast about what to say
and settled on the first convenient ex-
cuse that came into my head.
"The train was delayed at Boyle
town" said l.
"Well, come in, now that you're
here" said she, ''and get warm. It's
awful cold weather for this time O
year, isn't it?"
yes said I, with an asserting nod.
''Let me see" said my mother-in-law,
as she took steaming platter of ham
and eggs out of the oven and lifted a
shining coffee pot from the stove; "how
old are you?"
Zone and twenty" said I.
"Do you think" said she, pensively
feeling of her chin. that you are able
to take care of the place? There's
great deal to do, you know. on farm
like this. Do you think you're up to
the work?"
OF course I think So" said I. won
dering what on earth my mother-in-
law meant.
You are married, suppose" said
she.
',Oh. YES" said I. swallowing the hot
coffee and winking my eyes very hard.
I'm married.
Can your wife make herself general
" useful about the place." sharply de-
handed the old lady,
Certainly she can" said 1. beginning
vaguely to see my way through the
rnists Of perplexity that had heretofore
obscured my brain.
How old is she?" asked Mrs. Martin
Eighteen, l answered.
Mrs. Martin frowned.
What does possess girls 10 get mar
ried nowadays" said she, before
they've left off dolls and patchwork"
! looked thoughtfully down at the
pattern Of my plata pink Chinaman I
crossing caruine 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 doGbtlessl7
laboriug under nisapprehension, but /
did not exactly see that i was nv
business 10 set her right She had
evidently engaged a steward. and took /