The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-06-22
A WoMAN'S NEW KINSFOLK.
People.in.Law are Bound to Come
with Husbands and Weddings.
st. Louis Republic.

She has been married two weeks,
but she has told her husband she "dld
not marry his whole family . W
course he was little surprised to
hear her say this, but he accepted 1t
as sort of matter Of fact, and though
he was provoked enough to say things
he wisely did not.
1t all came about in this way: line
husband s mother and sister had writ
ten they were coming up for short
visit, and the little bride had made
other plans for the coming three or
four weeks, and she did not want them
interrupted.
The mother and sister from near
by town are just the dearest women IN
the world, and they have not yet seen
the lovely little wife about whom
their dear "Will" has written so
much. They have her picture and
have admired it and shown it to all
their friends. Wills business unex-
pectedly detained him, so the we'd
ding journey has been postponed and
the pretty new home occupied earlier
than was expected. 1t was quiet,
simple wedding and as Will intended
taking his wife at once on visit to
his old home the family had not been
at the wedding.
The bride Of this story is not unkind
or ungenerous. She has only not yet
learned that people-in-law are neces-
sites, that folks accept with husbands.
She adores her own mother, and her
brothers dote on her. She would feel
it sadly if she was separated from
them, aud I don't know what she
would feel should her beloved Will
tell her one day that he had mot
married her whole family But the
little bride thinks she has gathered
| wisdom from the experiences OF others.
She has heard older women tell OF the
perfectly horrid times they have had
when their husbands mothers came
to visit them and teach them how to
| keep house, and she has quite made
| up her mind that just as dreadful
times are in store for her. She does
not stop to consider how dear Wills
gentle mother is to him or how inter-
ested his sisters must be in his new
home and how it is managed.
I want very much sometimes to
pick up the cudgel Of defense in behalf
of people-in-law. 1 did that day
when heard the two-weeks wife de-
clare that hex interest did not include
the whole Of her husbands family. l
rather think I would have been glad
had that particular Will, instead OF
looking bit grieved and saying COM
forting things, said the "things he
thought. He may have been wisest
not to, but I somehow fancy he will
finally, unless his pretty girl-wife
early repents and loves, as she de-
serves to be loved, the dear little
mother andsthe quiet womanly sister,
in-law. Their ways may not be ex-
actly her ways, but I have learned
that most husbands mothers have the
very best of intentions, and only
mean to improve their new-found
daughters when they offer to teach
them old-fashioned ways of cooking
and economiziDg. I hope that the
eve Of some new wife will catch this
that I am going to write: A husband S
mother is to be won over forever if a
sons new wife will only let herself be
taught few things that will add to
the happiness and comfort Of that
| mothers son, for he is still her "boy, .
and Indifference to his comfort at
h5me and the thoughtless spending OF
his money can never be anything but
deep grief TO the mother heart.
The girl who is generous will be
willing to have her husband share his
| love with his family and try to make
the mother feel that she has not lost
son. but has gained daughter.
This may, I know, sometimes not be
an easy task, but for the final happi-
ness Of two people it is we'll worth the
tentleness and patience that it will
require to accomplish this end.
! When Tom, who has spent nearly
all his life in the country, goes to
town and in time marries city CIR
and takes her to his country home
then am sorry for both the city CIR
and Toms people, to say nothing Of
Tom himself.
For so many years the quiet, COO
and roomy, old house has known thu
same even rule. Toms mother was
horn in that house, and from hel