Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1900-02-08

Mr.. gOwser and His MOther-in-Iaw.

Nr. Bowser was smiling and good
natured when he reached home the
other evening, and Mrs. Bowser was
so pleased over the fact that they had
hardly got seated at the dinner table
when she said:
81 have a bit of news for you.
Who do you think is coming on the
eight o'clock train?"
Not your mother ?" he queried.
"Yes, got telegram from her an
hour ago. II hope you won't be
mad.
"Mad?" Why should be mad {?
She's a nice old lady, and we always
got along all right. I shall be glad
to see her
I'm so glad Mother Is a plain
spoken woman, you know. She al
ways says just what she thinks. You
won't care if she speaks her mind ?'
Not the slightest. She can talk
her head off for all care. l believe
I differed with her the last time she
was here, but that's all passed and
gone. She's in her second childhood,
and if she is blunt we can overlook it.
You just make yourself easy about
Inc"
THAT is nice and sweet Of you. l
was so afraid you might not be glad
to see her.
You must think I'm a queer man,
said Mr.. Bowser, as be looked across
at her. as she not your mother ?
Isn't she about as dear to me as my
own? Do you imagine I would hurt
your feelings by having unpleasant
words with an old lady, who is not re-
sponsible for half she says? She's
got way Of saying mean little things,
but if she happens to hit me I'll sim
ply laugh at her. l hope she'll stay
at least four weeks, and I'll lust lay
myself out to give her a pleasant vis-
it,"
Mrs. Bowser had several dim and
underlined remembrauces connected
with former visit, but she choked
them all back and made herself be-
lieye that Mr.. Bowser would do all
he said. When the hour and the
mother-in-law arrived his welcome
was as warm as could be desired, and
for an hour or so all was harmony aud
good will The conversation, which
had been made up of home happen
ings, finally fell fat, and the mother
in-law started up afresh by saying:
"Out our way We have all been
much interested in a divorce case, and
I am glad to say it came out all right.
That is, the wife got her divorce.
What was the troubIe2' careless
ly queried Mr.. Bowser.
"Why, he was man who was al
ways bossing and bulldozing his wife
He thought he knew it all and she
nothing. Hewas always kicking and
fault-fnding, and her life was made
miserable. She was a sweet, patient
woman, or she would never have stood
it month. I expect there are plen-
ty Of other women suffering Just as
she suffered.
Mrs. Bowser saw flush creeping
over Mr.. Bowser's face and wisely at
tempted to turn the conversation.
He smiled blandly, but followed it up
with the observation
"And there are no doubt plenty Of
husbands who are made miserable by
wives who have no system ofmanage-
ment.
They are a poor lot, take EN-
as they run, continued the old lady
with good deal of acid in her tones.
a am glad you are behaving yourself
better than you used to. -
Mr.. Bowser's neck began to grow
red and bis ears to twitch, and Mrs.
Bowser made heroic effort to get
her mother upstairs to unpack her
trunk. Mr.. Bowser remembered his
promise but at the same time he felt
that he had been bit and must hit
back, and he therefore said: