The Winslow mail., 1898-10-01

our house. lny wife spoke { how thank
ful she had been to my motl.er for
bringing. about such tender relation
ship.
How did you ever come to suggc=t
that we do away with the term
''in-law," or, better still, that we do
away with all "in-laws," mother?' /
asked.
Because had such a miserable ex-
istence with your fathers folks and
he with mine, my dear she answered,
in her gentlest way. 1t was all our
fault, too, and not theirs. His fathers
family was a charming one, and I'm
sure there never was more delightful
family than my own; but your father
and | made the same mistake about our
folks-in-law at the very outset that nine
out Of ten newly-married couples make.
l wanted his family to live like mine,
think like mine, act like mine, and he
wanted my folks to be like his in every
respect. This was out Of the question,
because no two families can be alike
any more than two people can be- The
result was that he was always criti-
cising my family and l his, adversely
at that. Is it any wonder that when
his people came felt at daggers' points
with them, and when mine visited us
he felt like going and committing sui
eide? When it was too late your father
and l realized that we had made a
great mistake, and [ determined to
teach my children TO regard their folks
in-law as their very own folks.
''And did she?" eagerly interrupted
June Bridegroom.
You bet she did," answered Mr..
Golden Wedding, with boyish enthusi-
asm. "My wife and 1 made up our
+ minds when we left the altar that we
had not only formed an alliance with
one another, but with the family OF
each other. Instead of ignoring this
fact, from the very start we attached
much Importance to it, and we deter
mined to get as much happiness out
of the society IF our respective fam
lilies as we could. suppose ycu'il faint
when tell you, but [ came to adore my
motherin-law, and Mrs. Golden Wed
ding said she loved my mother as her
own. My sisters had been brought W
differently, but my wife overlooked
what were to her their queer wayg.
and 1 paid no attention to thing.
which her brothers did not in accord.
ance with my ideas. In short, we :or,
with one another and did not criticisc
At last, in two years the three fam
lies were like CHe big family, and the
To-
one Of the three homes
"That beats me-" calculated June
Bridegroom.
June Bridegroom, continued Mr.
Golden Wedding. "did you ever think
that this unpleasant feeling you have
for your in-laws is all your bloomin
fault? We've often spoken Of what
delightful family they are at oul
house. And I'm inclined to think you
need the sort Of advice that my mother
gave her children along this line. Don't
misunderstood me. | don't think yo1
are entirely to blame. Notwithstand
ing the professional joker and hi
stock mother-in-laW joke, ] think tha1
the wife is more apt to find fault witt
and pick flaws in her folks-in-law than
the husband. IN fact, if you'll excuse
my candor, I've regretted tendency on
the part Of your wife to complain oi
the visits from your family, Just a
you are diseruntled over the cominc
of hers. Take the advice of an old man
who is watching you with great inter-
est, and both Of you bid farewell to
folks-in-law; Danish 'em from youl
minds and hearts. Do you know folks
in-law are bugaboo of the mind and
nothing more? The Christian Scientist
would say that they were an error
Really, folks-in-law are exactly III
other people. The mistake that youn
couples make is in not accepting and !,
ceiving and treating them as SUI
Don't treat your folks-in-Iaw as E;r5
of prey, as enemies, as SpanialC
when they come next week, IL
Bridegroom. Talk all this over uil
your wife and receive her family as hu-
man beings, as you would any other
guests; nay, more, as you would youi
own family, and III bet you a new hat
that when it comes time for your fam
lily TO visit you. Mrs. June Bride
groom will give them a loving welcome
straight from her heart
''I'll do it, Mr.. Golden WeddinC," ex-
claimed the once more buovant June
Bridegroom. Come to think Of it, by
Jove, there isn't & thing that I've real
ly got against my wife's people except
that they are folks-in-law. And they
can't help that, can they?"-N. Y Sun.