Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-09-12
John S M0ther-iD-|aW,
BY Helena Dixon.

"Of course yo9r mother must have
a home with US, Carrie. Widowed,
and with no child but you, she nat
1rally and rightly wishes to come to
you. And, only think how nice it will
be for us all to have her here. No
more lonely hours for you while I am
cooped up in that gloomy workshop
Of mine upstairs"
So spoke John Royalton as. he arose
from the breakfast table and caught
up his chubby-faced boy, adding, as
he perched the little two-year-old on
his shoulder:
And my litte1 curly-head wants
grandmamma's experienced eye upon
him to cut short his mischievous
pranks. Don't you5 Master Chatter
box?"
And away the little fellow was
borne to the little room which John
had called his Workshop" Techni-
cally speaking, it was studio, for
Royalton was a painter, and the do
mestic little wife was left alone to
write letter inviting her widowed
mother to her home.
"How like the dear old times it will
seem to have mother with me-" MUIR
INJURED Mrs. Royalton, as she folded
her letter. ga woman wants some
one beside such a dignifed, me-
thodical person as dear John is to
talk To, and l declare l don't see any
one else in an age except now and
then, when some sour-visaged old
maid or simpering miss comes to have
her portrait painted"
The Saturday following the posting
of Mrs. Royalton's letter brought the
expected guesk to the Royalton cot
tage. Mrs. Perring was a very nerv-
Gus, very lively, and very eccentric
old lady, who made it her boast that
she was never idle minute between
daylight and bedtime.
When she became settled with the
Royaltons, she applied herself assid-
uously to putting things to rights"
Every drawer, every chest, every cup
board, was ransacked and the con-
tents of each arranged in accordance
with the old lady's ideas of order.
Even Johns desk was rummaged, and
every letter and paper peered into,
Just to find out in what particular
niche each one ought to be put.
In about a fortnight Mrs. Perring
had the satisfaction of thinking that
she had got things about the house
in good running order"
There's only that outlandish paint
shop upstairs-John's study-o I mind
Carrie calls it-buL what's had
thorough ventilating, and the very
first day Johns away from home I'll
make a new place of that"
Fortune smiled on Mrs. Perring's
plans. John and Carrie, and little Ed
die were away, and the little old lady
prepared herself for the onslaught.
She donned her poorest dress, tied
napkin over her head to keep off the
dust, rolled her sleeves above her
scrawny elbows and went to work.
All day long the furniture in the
artists room flew vigorously around.
Many articles denounced as worth
less rubbish" were hurled through
window into the back yard, while
others that might come in play for
something, some day." were slowed
away in the garnet. A portrait, on
which the paint was yet wet, was
energetically busted with a coarse
towel; paints were mixed incongru-
ously and brushes put through a
securing process, till the old 1ady's
back ached with the exercise, and
her nose became the medium by
which copious streams of perspiration
were conducted from her face.
When everything in the room was
considered "done," Mrs. Perring made
a dash for an adjoining closet, but
found the door securely~locked. For
a moment the worthy lady was in
Cuandry. How was she to straighten
things in the closet? Do it she must
and would, and very quickly Mrs.
Perring bethought her of bunch OF
KEYS which happily she had brought
with her. The keys were produced,
and in triumph Mrs. Perring unlocked
the door.
Selling her broom, she rushed irto
the closet. She came out shortly,
however, and closed the door after
her with a jerk and bang.
John Royalton's mother-inlaw had
made a discovery!
Collecting her utensils, she left the
studio and went below in grim AMI
dignife1 silence. She sat quietly
knitting in the pleasant sitting room
when John and Carrie returned. The
steel needles fled out and in very
spitefully. The cold, gray eyes looked
directly down over the elongated