Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1912-11-01
My Son S
Wife

udy Will Do my sOn1 WIG. Porchanc0,
indeed. she II but numbered among
tho potentialities; In the land Of the
unborn she may be shyly lingering.
For the prospective bridegroom, slbeit
he nils his mothers heart, exists only
In miniature. His joyous run is peril
Gus and uncertain. The little linen
suits he wears call forth amazed
comment at their maturity. Nathless,
two years Il no uniting interval
'twixt spouseS. My sons wife may
well be a fact accomplished 1t is az
a babe, a newborn babe lying Silly
In cradle. that picture her.
And what is she like. this little
girl / wonder; this little girl who
means 30 much to him; so dear to met
Does she lie there plump or puny,
brown or Hly-fair, serene or wailfulf
And the cot she lies in. is it lace-be-
decked, beribboned, hung with cur
tains Of fair white dimityi Or stands
1t bare and rudely fashioned of the
twopenny banana boxf
But be she pauper or princess. will
not cavil. In memory of that other
babe born In the stable, that other
babe worsniped of princes, | Welcome
the daughter-in-law Of the palace, Of
the barn.
Yet these things are but trifes. l,
too, am the worldly mother For,
princess or pauper, | would have my
sons wife weilborn. I would have
her forebears people of honor, of re-
finement. l would have this, although
| know that each new generation
brings new opportunity. Humanity
is a compound and not a mixture. The
elements fused together yield an issue
strange and unaccountable. While
there Is life there is surely hopel
And yet-and veto little unknown
daughter-in-law. may you have been
discreet in your choice of parents!
May you, at least have found moth
er who loves you; indeed, it is the
common, foolish wont of mothers.
May you have found a father who is
gentleman to you, whate'er he be
called otherwisel
But the little girl in her cradle has
already arranged her past. Blameless
or sinful, it is already there. What
use is it for me to speculate? What
use is it for me to think of her at all7
l trow she never thinks Of me. She
never thinks of her possessions that
guard so carefully; the silver tea
service at the bank in its soft tissue
wrappings; the family's sole diamond
ring. She does not think of such
things; she does not care Yet could
show them to her. she would gurgle
joyously. In her baby eyes their
shine and sparkle would seem fair.
And perchance when she doth real
lie her treasures she will no longer
prize them. For my sons wife may
be an artist, deeming crude valuables
distinctive of the loathed Philistine;
)r learned lady despising gauds and
or little socialist, happily
certain that in universal earthenware
les the cure of human ILL., Yes; me-
links my sons wife will be social
st Daughter-in-law, l will respect
'our scruples; | will admire your no
lie discomfort You shall melt the sill
Ter tea service; you shall sell it, and
'rint therefrom pamphlets. many
10 reform the wicked pluto
rat.
But although my sons wife may
eem silver teapots worthless, al
hough she may consider pearls more
tly cast before swine, yet there is
ne possession / am guarding that
he will hold very precious, one be-
,nging that awaits her for which she
Ill surely care.
Then. 1t is of this that | shall tell
er, this one thing of Importance. I
rate of silver services when | should
escribe my son. Tall | see him for
Is years, his two years, as he plays
n the sward before me; tall and ex-
sedingly sturdy His eyes are brown,
ut his hair curls goldenly. little
ri, are you not glad with me that
Is hair curls goldenlyD Strong he
and merry. When he hurts him.
III he cries but seldom. Rarely Is
: yexed. What else is there to tell
bout him? All, see, he runs towards
e with his arms outstretched
But percnauce my Unknown ddugn-
will feel that flial piety
ncerns her not. Perchance she may
sent 1t. And yet 1t is a desirable
Iality All the things that | have
Id her are desirable qualities they
ould tend to make a happy wife.
,r two years this son hath brought
5 mother more happiness than she
d ever known. Is II not. then, prob
10 that he will one day bring JOY
to his wife? Little daughter-in-law,
pray that my son may give to you
great a peace. as great a comfort
he hath given me. | pray. although
truth the prayer Is more for my
as sake than for yours, since you
} yet a stranger to me-Oh, may my
] come unto his wife as unspotted
he came to me. May he be pure
heart when he enters upon his Sec
1 birth, the birth of the new dual
Il May he always, and whate'er be-
him. never cease In seeing God!