The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-11-24
IN RE MOTHERS IN-LAW
THE OLD JOKES ARE REVIVED BY
AN INSTANCE IN THIS CITY
But There Is Evidence in St. Paul, as
There Is Everywhere Else, That She
Is Often a Most Welcome Member OF
the Family.

man in this city the other day
gave a present to his mother-ln-laW
and she dropped dead. Just as the
moor overworked mother-in-law jokes
were beginning to be forgotten, to nave
this thing happen is indeed sao. II
gives to photographers the country over
a chance to revive the old slorles'
Surely the mother-in-law has peeh
woefully sIandered; she is very USE
full and important adjunct to many
families. and it was in order to say
word in her favor that the remarks
above were made.
How the idea started that mothers
in-law are always hated, it is dlfhcult
to discover. There have been cases OF
the greatest affection existing between
ing not only her children but her
opposite seems to be so thoroughly
taken for granted that instances ike
these are overlooked.
The writer heard not long ago OF
New York man whose wife dlea IeaV-
ing not only her children but her
mother to his care. He made her MS
housekeeper, did everything for her,
and when he wanted to marry again,
told the girl he was engaged to that
SO IOIlS DIS he Ilctll q 1lOlllS AiAS
WifeS mother should have place
there. The girl agreed and they were
married and lived happily. That man
was little short of an angel.
But there are many, many cases
where mothers-i n-Iaw live most hap
PLY in the house with their daughters
husbands, and who that has ever hau
a grandmother would be willing to get
along without her? There have even
Of
mothers in-laW when the daughters
die. This is perhaps carrying the thing
a little too far, but it is merely an IN
stance of the affection which al times
exists.
Beside the mother-in-law, who is
often a beloved member of the house
hold, there is the spinster aunt. What
could be done without her? Some one
once wrote a poetic effusion sounding
the praises of the maiden aunt who is
always on hand when there is trouble
III the house. If there is scarlet fever
or diphtheria, or if Johnny falls down
and breaks his leg-which Johnn1es
have a way Of doing-or If mother
wants to go away on visit, what is
done? Why they send for Aunt Mary,
Jane or Emma.
Half the children in the world are
brought up by spinsters, so no wonder
mothers congress. Ask any household
in which there is a maiden aunt, what
it would do without her. The writer
has one in mind. There are four daugh-
tiers in the family and Aunt Mary"
who is not old, but no longer young.
Aunt Mary gets the girls ready for par
ties, and sews all day and into the
night keeping party gowns up to date;
she does the housekeeping, makes jel-
lies and preserves, and when the cook
leaves, Aunt Mary goes into the kitchen
and the table is better than ever. There
is nothing that Aunt Mary cannot do.
The very thought of living without her
appalls this household. She designs
the dresses for her sister and the four
girls, makes half of them, and leads
the happiest, busiest life possible.
Isn't this career?
Perhaps in the olden time-When-
ever that vague time was-spinsters
were unhappy and miserable, but it is
difficult in these days to find single
woman who has not some work or vo-
cation which is acceptable, or some
niche no one else could fill as well.
This would not be nearly as pleasant a
. world if all the mothers-in-law and
maiden aunts were suddenly elimi
mated.