The Red Cloud chief., 1912-11-07
My Son $
Wife

1n0ee0, she tS but numbered among
the potentialities: in the land of the
unborn she may be shyly lingering.
For the prospective bridegroom, albeit
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 10 no uniting interval
twixt spouses. My sons wife may
well be fact accomplished. II 10 as
q babe, q newborn babe lying Silly
in cradle. that I picture her.
And what 10 she like, this little
girl, l wonder: this little girl who
means 20 much to him: 80 dear To me?
Does she lie there plump or puny,
brown or lily.fair, serene or wailful?
And the cot she lies in, is It lace.be-
decked, beribboned. hung with cur.
tains Of fair white dimity? Or stands
It bare and rudely fashioned OF the
twopenny banana box?
But be she pauper or princess, will
not cavil. In memory Of that other
babe born in the stable. that other
babe worshiped Of princes, welcome
the daughter.in.law Of the palace. of
the barn.
Yet these things are but trifies. I.
too. am the worldly mother. For.
princess or pauper. I would have my
sons wife well-born. would have
her forebears people Of honor. Of re.
finement. would have this. although
know that each new generation
brings . new opportunity. Humanity
10 compound and not mixture. The
elements fused together yield an issue
strange and unaccountable. While
there IL life there IL surely hope!
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
a gentleman to you. whateer he be
called otherwise!
But the little girl in her cradle has
already arranged her past. Blameless
or sinful. It 10 already there. What
use 10 It for me to speculate? What
use 10 1t for me to think Of her at all?
trow she never thinks Of me. She
never thinks Of her possessions that
I guard 20 carefully: the silver tea
service at the bank in its soft TISSUE
wrappings; the family's sole diamond
ring. She does not think of apch
oh AA
! 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.
ize her treasures she will NO longer
prise them. For my sons wife may
be an artist. deeming crude valuables
distinctive Of the loathed Philistine:
or learned lady despising gauds and
baubles; or q little socialist, happily
certain that in universal earthenware
lies the cure Of human III. Yes; me.
thinks my sons wife will be q social.
ist. Daughter.in.law, I will respect
your scruples: I will admire your no
bic discomfort. You shall melt the sill.
yer tea service: you shall sell 1t. and
print therefrom pamphlets, many
pamphlets. to reform the wicked pluto
crat.
But although my sons wife may
deem silver teapots worthless. al.
though she may consider pearls more
htly cast before swine. yet there is
one possession I am guarding that
she will hold very precious, one be.
longing that awaits her for which she
will surely care.
Then. II 10 Of this that I shall tell
her. this one thing Of importance. I
prate Of silver services when I should
describe my son. Tall ! see him for
his years. his two years. a. he plays
on the sward before me; tall and ex.
ceedingly sturdy. His eyes are brown.
but his hair curls goldenly. little
girl. are you not glad with me that
his hair curls goldenly?) Strong he
10. and merry. When he hurts him.
self he cries but seldom. Rarely is
he vexed. What else Is there to tell
about him? All. see. he runs towards
me with his arms outstretched.
But perchance my unknown daugh-
ter.in'law will feel that filial piety
concerns her not. Perchance she may
resent It. And yet It Is q desirable
quality. All tho things that I have
told her are desirable qualities; they
should tend to make a happy wife,,
For two years this son hath brought
his mother more happiness than she
had ever known. Is It not, then, prob
able that he will one day bring Joy
unto his wife? Little daughter.in.law,
pray that my son may give to you
as great a peace. as great comfort
as he hath given me. pray. although
In truth the prayer 10 more for my
sons sake than for yours. since you
are yet stranger to me--Oh. may my
son come unto his wife as unspotted
as he came to me. May he be pure
In heart when he enters upon his sec
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