The daily morning Alaskan., 1902-07-23
Her MOther=in=laW

"Eila." said my husband. q have beard from my mother. She wants to come and live with ua She win be here tomorrow"
 q thought she lived ln Milwaukee with your sister"
 "So she does, said Pierre, but she and my sister don't seem to agree"
 "Oh.' said I. thinking how disagree able she must be to quarrel with her own mother.
 My mother-inlaw arrived the next day-a fat old lady. with a purple com plexlon. a sharp, black eye and a fringe of false curls on either side Of her face. What" said my mother-in-law. "a black silk dress at homer And she ecrutinlzcd my simple toilet with pen rtrating gaze. Does Piere's Income admit of thatT'
 "Pierre's income has nothing Co do with it." returned gayly. "l bought the dress myself It was one had be- fore we were married"
 q should advise a gingham or al- paca for a home dress" said my moth' er-in-law.
 Pierre likes Co sec me in black silk" [ protested
 "Men know nothing about such things" said my mother-in-law.
 That was the beginning of 1.-the be ginning Of a course of meddling and crlticisine and interference that nearly drove me frantic. She disapproved of everything on principle
 "My dear Ella" said she, "that great tall sister of yours ought Co be earning her own living"
 But she must get an education first pleaded l.
 Education, Fiddle! What does a slrl like her need except Co read and write and cast up accounts1 ! should think she might get place as cash girl in store instead ot living on Pierrcs charity"
 I colored hotly.
 "If Pierre does not object" said I, mo one else need"
 "I don't like Co see hlm Imposed up on" said my mOthcr-in law.
 She grew more and more disagreea ble with me every day. It wasn't s week before she got the housekeeping money away from me.
 "I shall spend it so much more eco uomlcally than a young thing like you, Ella" said she
 But at the months end she had Co ask Pierrc for another SlO Co balance the bills
 Things are SO much higher here than in Milwaukee" said she.
 But ] noticed that very evening that my mothcrin-law came home with a new bombazlne dress. And 1 put two and two together. How could [ help it?
 She told Pierrc that ! was lazy and extrayagant She asked him it Cora was Co stay forever "sponging" her living out of him. She shook her false curls and gvoaucd out that she didn't go, wherc all Che money went to. And through it all she p-eteuded that she was very fond of us all
 "Of course" said she. "it would be a deal plcasanter for me Co stay with my dear daughter in Milwaukee. but al. ways prefer duty Co mere personal qualification"
 "You arr very kind. mother" said dear stupid Pierre. who put impllci, taith lu everything the old lady said.
 I went Into the other room, when Plerre and his mother had gone out without thinking of consulting me Co get a new china tea set.
 Cora" said !. "1 can't stand this. Picrre has got to choose between his mother and me"
 "Oh. Nelly" said Innocent utuc Cora
 "I mean lt," said l. But how l was so carry cut my programme ] bad not toe least .dca.
 Fortune. however. favored me. Cora came home from school the next day with a high fever and in a day or two she broke out with a scarlet rash.
 There Is a great deal of smallpox around" said Pierre. with a troubled acc. "I fear !, Is that 40 an events, wc had better an hc vaccinatcd. How lucky thut my mother is here to help nurse her."
 But Mrs. Wallace. Sr.. presently cam' down stai-s in the bombazine dress with Plerrc's best leather travelling bag ln her band.
 "V.y. uo,lcr." said Pierre in aston islmcDt where are you golngT
 Home" said Mrs. Wallace grimlyi "to Milwaukee"
 And leave Ellar'
 "Eua will do very well. said Mrs Wallace. "I don't mean to stay and expose myself Co the smallpox. My own health Is thc first consideration"
 And away went my motLer-lnlaw without even stopping for the formal lty Of a goodby."
 Pierre set his teeth together.
 ''I would not have believed" said he -that any human creature could be SC selfish or 80 cold hearted"
 Pierre" said I. creeping up to him. -don't be afraid. It's only the measles hat Cora has And l wouldn't mind the smallpox itself if it only helped te
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