The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-04-07
TOO MANY MOTHERS
A YOUNG COUPLE IN NEW YORK
WITH TWO MOTHERS milan
Pathetic Case Gets Into Court and
Young Husband Tells Sad Story
Judge Advises Them to Live Alone.

The ubiquitous mother-in-law has
been getting young couple in New
York into trouble. 1t is the strangest
thing in the world that mothers-in-
law seem to make so much disturbance
when they are well intentioned and
want to be of assistance to their sons
and daughters. When the pathetic
case referred to came UP the other day
it was discovered that it was not one
mother-if-law but two which proved
the undoing of a very young couple
who had Joined their destinies when
only twenty and nineteen. Now, of
course, one mother in-law making a
disturbance is bad enough, but when it
comes to two irate mothers pitted
against each other, and each thinking
her child in the right and much abused
by the party of the second part, it is
time to stand from under. When they
finally went to court to have their diff
ferences adjusted the husband had his
innings first, and he told a long tale
of woe and how, when he did anything
his wife did not like her mother ap-
peared on the scene and backed up
her daughter with vigorous language.
He then told a most pathetic incident
relating to his birthday. which all will
agree should have been a time of re-
joicing, as it made him one year old
er, but, alas! his wife informed him
that she and her mother intended to
give him "a hot time" for his birthday,
so, in mortal fear, he stayed away all
day and at night went in quietly and
to bed so as not to receive the prom
iSed present. But unfortunately the
two heard him, and coming after him
with clubs, chased him all over the
house until in sheer desperation he ran
out and went home to his mother So
1t all ended in court, and the two
mothers were there and glared at each
other from a safe distance. The judge
ordered the wife's mother to leave the
house at once and told the young cou-
pie that they would probably live in
peace If they lived alone. Whereupon
the wife and her mother went scorn-
fully out with their heads in the air,
followed by him and his mother, with
just as proud a mien.
Now, why in the world cannot a
mother-in-law. if she must live with
young married people, keep the peace
and her mouth shut? The truth is
young people, when they are first mar
ried. should live by themselves. Of
course there have been innumerable
instances when mothers-in-la have
lived in the families Of their sons and
daughters in perfect peace and accord,
only those cases we seldom hear Of
while the stories of discord usually
come out. If a woman only uses a lit
tie tact and let's the young people settle
their own differences without interfer-
ing, there would never be any trouble.
OF course when a woman sees her
daughter neglected day and day out by
an Indifferent husband, it is almost
more than human nature can endure
and it is small wonder that she some
times boils over and says things. But
1t is a mistake and only leads to great
er trouble. The most worthless hus-
band will be defended by his wife when
he is attacked from outside. This is
proven almost every day In the munich
pal courts, when woman who has had
her husband arrested for beating her
will almost always repent and beg the
judge not to sentence him.
On the other hand, there are many
men who love their wives mothers. and
wives who likewise are very fond of
their husbands families, but it is al
ways wisest to live apart. Then there
Is but little chance for trouble. Per-
haps if there were not so many
mother-in-law jokes there would be
more peace, but as a rule no house is
large enough for two families.