Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1900-11-29
CHAPTER 1.

Some women are born to daugh-
ters-in-law, some achieve daughters
in-law, and some have daughters-in-
law thrust upon them. / am Of the last
category" said Gladys, in her whim-
are times when l am crushed by the
weight of the unexpected boom"
Mrs. Leonard looked indulgently at
che dainty creature reclining in an
easy chair that would have swallowed
her quite but for the assertive nature
Of the gown that fell in airy pillows
on footstool and floor. Mrs. Anterior
was always well dressed, as a pretty
woman should be. In her flowing
draperies of blue, matching the color
of her eyes, with blush roses at her
breast and in her red golden hair. she
looked fair and young. Strangers
would have set her age at seven and
twenty, perhaps; but grim old Time.
for once giving no hint of his vicinity.
was checking off the minutes that must
soon complete her avowed seven and
thirty years of life.
You knew Harvey would marry
some day"
mot when he was STRIPPING under
twenty. You may say l needn't have
consented to the match. Well, all my
life l had given him everything he
cried for IL he cried long enough, so
when he wanted this new toy, after
making myself nearly ill by opposing
him, yielded, as usual. Beside, what
could | dor" she added more serious
ly. "He was infatuated with Helen.
When a handsome woman of twenty
i've resolves to capture boy of nine
teen, 1t Is useless to try to Offset her
Influence. And there was the father"
You think he helped matters on?"
Yes. A quack doctor OF no social
standing, swamped by debt and bur-
dened with five daughters, would use
any means to see one of them ad-
vantageously married. He of course
regarded Harvey as my heir, and even
then he had a fine situation. Rock
Vile has grown from a village to a
manufacturing town since came here,
and well educated young mentor sew
eral years l had private masters for
Harvey, as / dared not send him away
TO college-find no difficulty In gaining
positions of trust. The boy was in
advance of his age; had l opposed him
he might have been persuaded into a
runaway match. He thought ! would
forgive him anything"
I'm afraid women are not success
ful in rearing boys"
II know they are not We are too
1ndulgent, too afraid of hurting our
darlings, and in the end they become
our masters. Then, too, they are so
accustomed to being led by a woman
that they surrender to the first design
ing one they meet, thinking her all
have no fault to find with Helen in
her relation to Harvey. She is a de-
voted wife and mother, exemplary in
all her ways. She helps the poor and
goes regularly to church. She is moral
as-well, as a copy book, and has a
trite saying for every emergency. She
was the cornerstone OF her shiftless
fathers household, and is kind enough
to wish to be the entire foundation
of mine"
THAT is where the trouble begins?"
Naturally, Phebe Tomlinson has
kept my house ever since | had one
to keep. and resents interference.
uphold my old servant. Helen thinks
me weak. frivolous and extravagant
She has persuaded Harvey that am
mere butterfly, unable to manage my
own affairs. You know | am nothing
of the kind; yet every day finds me
yielding to some new encroachment.
Having admitted the nose of the camel
i must make room for the whole body,
and be crushed to the wall unless |
fght for footing. am not brave, and
rather than fight, give way; but the
time Is at hand when / must assert
myself or become a cipher. And |
dread it."
Never mind, dear II they go too
tar, come to New York. You must do
SO without fear now death has re-
moved the chief cause of your Quixotic
exile"
Mrs. Atherton sat erect in her chair
and looked cautiously about the room.
Il can hardly realize am really free
from that haunting terror" she said
in a lowered tone. IF our deliverance
had only come before Harvey's en-
gagement everything might have been
altered"
'He does not suspect?"
"oh. no! How should he? Phebe
and are the only ones who know.
But you can see how many considera-
lions forced me to countenance the
marriage, and not drive the boy to ex-
tremes, lest worse should befall."
II think you were wise, Gladys. Yet.
since Harvey really is married, he
In this quiet town long enough. AS
you no longer entertain. you must find
Rockville very dull"
Helen does not care for company"
said Gladys, apologetically. Her
health was precarious last winter, and
now that baby has come she dislikes to
have the routine Of the house dis
turbed. She receives only side door
callers, her sisters and their friends,
whom she entertains in her own apart
ments at any hour Of the day or even
Ing. Harvey seems satisfied with the
society she provides, and has lost in
terest In his old associates. So I'm
Obliged to flock by myself"
Mira Leonard laughed and rose to
60.
well. try II for few months
longer. Then. II matters do not change