The herald., 1894-02-04
MANS COLUMN.
[coNDucrED BY COG AND MAeoo.l

CONDUCTED BY COG AND MAaoG.l
"she gave me a coat that was lined with fur,
shaving cup and beautiful vest,
Other things, too, l received from her,
But never yet has she given me rest"
OF course it is the hideous speoter in
thu dim background of many home,
the mother-in-lsw, who never gave that
poor fellow rest. True she had never
dared to venture out of that dim back
ground, since no hearty invitation had
come from the lord and master of the
new household to encourage her into the
love-lit foreground. But just the same
that mother-in-law's shadowy ghost
wandered up and down and made him
fear he know not what; made him
question, "Is not her idolized daughter
now my welded wife, her heart my
very own, the control of her being at my
behest? What then has that old woman
to do with ue or we with herr. Away
BECOME Speak not her name. Toss
her presents into some secret place. Do
give me rest"
Every man among US must sy mpathize
with such of us as have motherssin-law.
1t sometimes seems hard to feel obliged
to slam our doors in their faces, but
should we once be so indiscreet as to let
them enter our domiciles our day were
done. Though they might not attempt
to boss us they would be sure to make
nsgging suggestions. Very likely would
insinuate we smoked more cigars than
was good for our digestion, and that we
were setting Ned and viii bad ex-
ample by smoking in their presence.
Possibly they might have the impudence
to hold up some man as pattern-in
the moon doubtless--who began to
economic on himself-instead of on his
wife and children. Next they would
urge the use of plain speech and nettle
us into ornamenting our talk with many
an oath which, but for them, had been
palmer. 1t would not be surprising If
they should prove 30 audacious as to
hint our being veritsble monopolists be-
cause foorsooth we hung on to those
good old fashioned doctrines of name
supremacy and the woman being made
for the mantle young and handsome
ones in particular. dts hard to tell
what the old ones were made for.)
1t is hard upon us that our praise
worthy efforts to keep mothers-in-law
in the dim background meets with such
poor success, since already are they COM
ing to the front in organized societies
like downtrodden labor. But should
they corner us here there is land to
which we can flee, land already pre-
pared for US by the thoughtful Loben-
gula, king OF the Matabeles, in South
Africa. Mothers-in-law in that sunny
land "are not allowed to enter the
houses of their daughters husbands,
and if they meet him in the streets they
must look another way"
#*x
"Why not the city and county COM
bine and develop its own water supply.
l have it from reliable authority that
not many miles from Los Angeles, at an
elevation of about $500 feet above the
sea level, good stream of water can be
found, which ia now running to waste,
and that by building sufficient dams
enough additional water could be stored
during the winter rains and from melted
snow to supply dozen cities the size of
Los Angeles. This water could be piped
through the most fertile section OF the
country, which is in need of water, and
a receiving reservoir for the city could
be very advantageously built in the
foothills near the city. In addition to
this, the enormous pressure of this
water, which in places can have q fall
of AGO feet, could be utilized into mo-
tive power, and by which the whole city
could be lighted by electricity. And all
this could be accomplished without the
expenditure of single dollar to the tax
payer. Because the entire improve.
ments could be paid for In script,
and the revenue derived from these inn
provements would more than redeem
the script issued. Besides, this script
being paid out for the work done would
find it's way through the different chan
nels of trade, and we would, no doubt,
all enjoy happy and prosperous times
coon again." FREDERICK ]. MoLL, ST.,
In Farmer and Labor Review.
*s+
"God! Why do you preach to me Of
God? l tell you there is no God for
the poor; no heaven. There is no hell
except this life; no devil, except the
men who grind the lives of women and
children into dollars and cents"
The above denunciation was hurled
at me with vindictive, accusing force by
poor, emaciated woman, whom /
found during my investigation of wage
earnere and their condition in garrett
room under the shadow OF Brooklyn
bridge, where, by the sickly glimmer OF
a coal-oil lamp, she was making double
stitch scanned overalls for 4 cents a
pair. By her side sat pinched-faced,
big-eyed child Of years, who, by sew
ing on the buttons, enabled her mother
to earn 49, rs in q week OF SO hours, or
ID hours day seven days in the week.
-TTeonora M l.. Lake. in Donahoe's