The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1899-07-14
srAnoARo ON 90.

my sweetheart, but the idea took right
hold of us both. I can tell you, June
Bridegroom, Mrs. Golden Wedding
acted like the brick that she is. She
called my father and mother just what
/ called them, and stranger would
never have imagined that she was a
prospective daughter-in-law instead
of an own daughter. I took the cue
from her and treated her family in
the same way, or rather accepted them
on the very same terms, and l tell you
the three families spent many happy
days together. One day, when, every
member on both sides was visiting at
our house, my wife spoke of how thank
ful she had been to my mother for
bringing about such tender relation
ship.
Glow did you ever come to suggest
that we do away with the term
"in-law," or, better still, that we do
away with all "in-laws," mother? l
asked.
"'Because I had such q 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 charming one, and I'm
sure there never was more dellghtfui
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.
1 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 his, adversely
at that. Is it any wonder that when
his people came I 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 / realized that we had made a
great mistake, and 1 determined tc
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 .oul
minds when we left the altar that we
had not only formed an alliance will
one another, but with the family o.
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 Ct our respective fam.
lilies as we could. suppose you'll faint
when 1 tell you, but came to adore my
mother-in-law, and Mrs. Golden Wed
ding said she loved my mother as he1
own. My sisters had been brought uI
differently, but my wife overlooked
what were to her their queer ways
and paid no attention to things
which her brothers did not in accord
ance with my ideas. In short, we sore
with one another and did not criticise
At last, in two years the three fam
lilies were like one big family, and the
term 'inrlaw' was never heard in any
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 our
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. l don't think vo,
are entirely to blame Notwithstand-
ing the professional joker and hi.
stock mother-in-law joke, think tia
the wife is more apt to find fault wifi
and pick flaws in her foiks-in-law tia
the husband. In fact, if you'll cxcus
my candor, I've regretted tendency
the part of your wife to complain O
the visits from your family. lust a
you are disgruntled over the comm,
OF hers. Take the advice of an old mai
who is watching you with great inter
est. and both of you bid farewell /.
folks-in-law; Danish EN- from ycu1
minds and hearts. Do you know folks.
ln-law are bugaboo of the mind and
nothing more? The Christian Scientists
would say that they were an error
Really. folks-in-law are exactly !ik
other people. The mistake that youn.
couples make is in not accepting and re.
ceiving and treating them as .su,h
Don't treat your folks-in-law as b;rt,
OF prey, as enemies, as Spaniard
when they come next week. Jur
bridegroom. Tclk all this over Wit.
your wife and receive her family as hu
man beings, as you would any othe.
guests: nay. more. as you would you,
own family, and I'll bet you a new hat
that when it comes time for your fam
lily TO visit you. Mrs. June Bride
groom will give them loving welcome
straight from her heart
III do it, Mr.. Golden Wedding ex-
claimed the once more buoyanf june
bridegroom. Come to think Of ii, byl
Jove, there isn't thing that I've real
" got against my wife's people exccpt
that they are folks-in-law. And they
can't help that. can they Pm. Y. Sun.
A Coed Excuse.
a western teacher in a town in