Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-09-01
= OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
How He RegOIIGd His Freedom.

fourth-engagement nad decided TO re- |
tain congratulations until the engagement |
had been broken.
A few weeks afterward l met him at |
an excursion in company Of his hancee |
and future mother-in-aw, but he didn't |
seem to notice me; in fact, he had all he |
could do to look out for his fiancee's |
as well as his mother-in-laws capes, UNI
brcllas. valses, etc, with which he was |
piled up like some great travelling ac-
tress' valet
Poor George!
After four months had elapsed George
again appeared at the club with the hap
piest face one could imagine, but n rumor
was a1oat that this time the girl did the
Shaking"
took him into corner and got the
story:
Everybody knows" he said, that my
engagement has been broken, but no one
knows how it happened. Formerly |
was greatly annoyed by those COMPOUNDED
mother-in-law jokes in the comic papers,
which, besides their staleness and unorig-
inality, had accused Of being unreason-
able. Now I'm converted. They may be
somewhat exaggerated, but ! tell you
that the pranks Of my mother-in-law
came very close in multiplying this exag-
| geration."
"You know that all my life l was
neither a bad fellow nor a particularly
| good one; at our engagement / didn't
supply my fiancee with general confess
sion, for such trihes as being engaged
J four or five times are not worth mention
ing.
1--WE were already dangerously near the
harbor of matrimony; furniture had been
bought, suitable apartments had been
selected How all this happened in so
short a time you can only realize If you
know of the activity of my mother-in-
law with regard to matrimonial affairs,
and especially when her own daughter
was involved!
"As the time for the wedding drew
nearer and nearer, began to realize that
lacked considerable of making good
| husband as well as a good son-in-law.
But what could do? l couldn't play the
scoundrel and leave the poor girl without
any reason whatever.
AT last the catastrophe came.
about week before the wedding,
when /, with the best OF cOnsciences, ar
rived at my fancee's residence, where l
now took my lunch. the only 'cinch' had
while engaged, found my darling at her
sewing table crying. The expression on
dear father-in-law's face chilled me more
than looking at Fahrenheit thermometer
which indicates 20 degrees below zero,
while mother-in-law's face was as stern
as that of high priest of India.
"In answer to my somewhat surprised
good morning she quietly handed me
letter, from which l could Immediately
see concerned myself, and not in the
most pleasant manner either
"All my little adventures and love af-
fairs, of which a sensible man should new
er make mention, were described here in
the most gaudy manner. OF course my
three former engagements were not omit
ted. and besides / was represented as q
gambler, drinker and God knows what
not.
There was no signature to the letter.
Therefore | returned it, with the most
cordial expression on my face whereup-
on a drawn 'WellY was heard to issue
from the whole family.
"'Well.' ! replied with the most posi-
BILE GOODNESS, although sorely angered at
: the receipt of this letter. L don't think it
: necessary to defend myself against an
onymous letters
. but the three engagements the
! whole family asked in one breath.
81 never tried to deny them l an
swered.
/ "'No, you didn't because you kept them
secret from the start my future or rath-
? er by this time ex-future mother-in-law
2 cried Indignantly, and
"'George, never knew you were such
l a scoundrel, the daughter echoed from
4 the window.
r "'Well, Dick George resumed, you
T know me. Patience is not one of my
3 principal good habits. / therefore rose
S and addressed my now former mother
s in-law in a fashion something like this:
a "'Dear madam since an anonymous
: letter destroys your confidence in me in
e so short a time l must remark that this
+ confidence could not have been very
G great That young man cannot trave
through life without any adventures viii
;, be clear even to your worthy minister
II who was to wed your daughter and my
n self in such a short time hence, and re
= gardng my three broken engagements
= "'You will be kind enough to add {
= fourth, dear mother-in-law completed
e my worthy speech, and of course ] haC
: no more to say.
g Blowing to my former fiancee, l sale
d with as much feeling as possible, Fare
i well, dear Maud; may you be happie
o with man more worthy of you
Il 1.-TWO other bows were answered by
d cool Good day. and | closed the dool
5 from the outside free man.
y "After reaching home / bundled all tn,
e letters, rings, presents, hair lock, ETC., to
: gether and sent them to West Seventy
u fourth street, my former iancee's resi-
s dence, and can again attend the club
have as many adventures as like and
be engaged as many times as like"
d l just wanted to congratulate George
% as l thought that he was through witt
e. his narrative, when he said: why dom
D. you wait till the end. That's not the Sc
cret. Every one knows that, or Maud
1t mother must be an exceptional woman
10 But now listen. | was sick and tired o
lie being engaged. | found out that WASH
is ready as yeS to get married, but | didn'
J. care to play Bhe scOundrel and leave tn
lie girl without any reason, therefore
ut wrote this anonymous letter myself
c. Paul Plaschke in Pittsburg Press
)r Bathing In Russia.
- A family of father, mother and so