The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-09-23

Circe or the plague it is a. very sure
sign that the man is beginning to look
upon her as something very different.
[ have always considered it a distinct
call me that woman, or to cast slurs
upon my frivolity and calumny on my
cooking. When Mrs. Brown or Mrs.
Smith ceased inviting me to their teas,
was always perfectly certain that
young Mr.. Smith or young Mr.. Brown
would show up regularly at my teas.
Why don't mems mothers see that,
when their sons are only half interested
in a girl, the one thing needed to make
them entirely wrapped up in her is the
spice Of little family opposition. Why
don It they realize that when woman
has made up her mind to marry a man
i mean-that-' ..
"You were quite right I Interrupt
or ord do With wit It.. Between his mother and
perfectly helpless. .
"And after the engagement has been
announced went on Polly, ignoring
me-~or agreeing with me, I hardly
know which, cit is ten times worse.
A girl's mother always takes her
daughters engagement philosophical
"Naturally," remarked. "having
been the prime promoter
"But the man . mother" Interrupt
ted Polly, 'Fresorts to tears and en-
treaties that would drive the ordinary
son to suicide or distraction, If he did
| not have the consolation of-of-'
| "Of that woman, - I suggested.
| Polly blushed. .... 5v#s<. ~
eyes, and after marriage the wrong
I side Of the mother-in-law question is SO
knotty that it often leads to tragedy.
A man is much more willing to listen to
tales against the woman he has won
than to what he considers HvilliGca
and of course there is always the de-
sire of the daughter-in-law' g nother-in-
law to prove her point and to make the
marriage just as unhappy as she pre-
dicted it would be. She forgets that
when she married her son s father she
went thru the same agony OF trying to
mollify his mother and to clear herself Of
accused in those reproving eyes,
"But why try to mollify our mothers
in-law at all, Polly2 We have proved
it is utterly hopeless. Your mother
will never think I am good enough for
you or to you and my mother will
always 5:is5 J, insist that I married the wrong
Polly sighed.
"Rut mother has written that she is
coming,' she said mournfully.
I laid down my morning paper and
took Polly's hand in mine across the
little breakfast table.
my mother has written that half a
dozen times,' I said sympathetically.
Polly stared at me in establishment.
"Wh-why didn't she Gomez she in
quired.
"Because-' I dropped Polly IS
hands and fingered my fork uncertainty:
BECAUSE you kept her away. Jack! -
cried Polly accusingly, "and all the
time 7 thought she was snubbing me!''
"Well, love my mother I be-
gan.
Polly looked up at me quickly.
"But I love my wife and my Gar
den of Eden more. After all, why. do
we have to let them into it, I didn It
marry your mother and you didn It mar
ry NINE
"Keeping them out would make it
seem as if they were serpents, OBJ
jected Polly.
"And letting them in would turn
two very lovely. old ladies into real
serpents,' I declared.
"But how can we explain-''
EThey couldn't visit us if We
emit at home,' I suggested, insin
Polly looked at me for moment.
"No, they couldn't if we happened
to be at Atlantic City, she agreed
quickly. s.-<
"And we could easily be there by
tomorrow
: "And take the Garden Of Eden will
! us!' added Polly.
"And, give Bilkins holiday.'
"And the cook, too But-am
never to see my mother9' asked Polly
in dismay.
. "You may go to see her wheneve:
you like, and I will go to see mine
but we must be prepared to leave tn,
Garden Of Eden behind, Polly.' :
eve, can come back to it," sait
Polly, cheerfully. cat least we shan
, be driven out!'
! "And you will never discover tina
, , dom treat you properly or that
am not the strong, brave, noble crea
! ture you think me. And I shall neve
discover
"That can't cook and that my hal
doesn It curl naturally, or that I don
show you the proper consideration o
, respect" T.
cor that you are exceedingl..
!, | vain-' ~ !
j "or that you are unbearably COZ
: ceited!' 49,. -
= "H-hem! In short, we shall neve
f eat Of the tree of Knowledge
: cor taste the fruit of the serpent
q cor the cooking Of our mothers-in
l law" H..