The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1901-06-14
The Meeting of
the Extremes.
VALERIE had been amply pre-
by ELIZABFTH mcCRACKEN.

NJ han been amply pre-
Y pared, amply warned by Johns
numerous girl cousins-by Eleanor.
particularly-but when the dreaded
moment arrived she was alarmed. In
five minutes John would be gone,
actually gone. for the entire day, and
she would be all alone with Johns
mothcr-yes. actually with her
mother-in-law,
She looked at John very soberly.
and let him take her hand under
shelter of the table-cloth. John
smiled fondly at her. They were hav-
5ng breakfast, they and Johns
mother. in their own home for the
first time. They had been married
exactly five weeks. and they had
come home from their wedding-trip
on the previous evening. The home
was new only TO Valerie. 1t had been
for many years the home OF John and
Of Johns widowed mother.
John had explained to Valerie that
he might not leave his mother alone.
and that she would be loath to re-
linqnish her home, and almost unable
70 adapt herself to a totally new en-
vironment. Valerie was quickly SYM
pathetic.
"she need not, John" she had said,
rcassuringly. "She is older than T.,
and don't want TO spoil any of her
life for her. OF course we will 20
and live with her. / sha'n't be a hor-
rid, typical daughter-in-law.' she had
warmly concluded.
John did not Know exactly what
she meant by n typical daughter-in-
law. but he assured her again and
again that she could o possibly be
anything horrid. Their discussions
of the practical details Of their fu-
ture invariably ended in such per-
sonal ir~relevancies.
Valerie certainly looked unlike any,
thing horrid as she gravely returned
Johns smile. Her ~rose-colored mus
lin brcakfast-iacket. with its decora-
ton OF black velvet bows ar;istically
sewed on at random. lighted charm
ingly her fresh young face. and har-
monized prettily with the rose stuck
also artistically at random in her
curly, brown hair.
Johns mother, about whom there
was nothing at random, glanced at
Valerie occasionally with an inner
disquiet almost equal to valerie's
harm. In a moment John would be
gone, actually gone. for the entire
lay, and she would be left all alone
with Johns wifc-yes, actually with
her daughtcr-in-law. She also had
been amply prepared and amply
warned. touching the inevitable
emergency; but she also looked So
berry at John.
lie thought that his mother was
thinking how beautiful II was to
have Valerie permanently in the
house; and again he smiled. His
mother was gentle and tender be-
meath all the precision and primness
concerning which Johns cousin Sl-
eanor had solcmnly warned Valerie
Valerie, whose theories of order were
nndevcloped-and she had assured
lohn that his wife would be most
welcome.
4 have no intention. my dear"
Johns mother had said to him. "of
helng a conventional mother-in-law-
ana II will be sweet TO have a daugh-
ter"
she had the gentlest intentions;
but MS she looked at Valerie she re-
called wildly all that her niece FL
tanor, who had been in college with
valerie, had said regarding the girls
tendency to leave her hat on the
piano, her umbrella on the library
table, her overshoes on the stairs, or
her book on the floor.
Valerie is an angel" Eleanor had
SAID, but she thinks a house Is made
Just 10 live in. She has such n pic
,urcs1ue, d~isordcrly way of being or
derly,"
Jchn's mother had had occasion to
appreciate the justice of Eleanor's
criticism. for Valerie had visited her
Tor n week before her marriage.
'ohn's mother had given the criti-
cism not very much thought; but
now Valerie was no longer a guest;
shc was q pcrmnncncyt
The pcrmanency was meditating
1pon'hc possibility Of going with John