Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-05-04

Heaven help her! That was the thought
that came uppermost to my mind when
I wrote this title. Some readers may
add: "And heaven help her daughter-in-
law" To which I say "Amen!" but not
as fervently as TO my own petition.
fancy there are few relations more
strained than those that exist between
a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. l
do not except those of the mother-in-law
and son-ln-hw. In the latter case the
daughter, IL she be worthy Of the name,
will not cut off entirely from her mother,
although her husband and her parent
may not get on very wen together. For
a woman holds fast to her own family,
even when she sympathizes with her hus-
band and loves him. In her case blood
IN certainly thicker than water. and she
seldom gives up her own kinfolk. no
matter how uncongenial they and her
husband may be.
Not SO with the man. When he mar
ries he goes over to his wife's family.
The going over may be gradual, but
II is sure. Each year lessons the IN
fluence that his own people have over
him II HIS wife wishes TO lessen II. When
the influence Of the husbands mother Is
strong. the wife-unless she be a very
large-hesrted. broad-minded, honorable
woman-resents II. suspect that at the
bottom of this resentment Is sex-jeAlousy.
The man is hers. and with the Instinct OF
sex she rebels against seeing him under
the sway OF any other woman. On the
other hand the sex-jealousy is quite as
strong In the mother herself. The man
b her son, she brought him into the
world. she trained him. she made him
what he Is. and her heart swells with
pride as she looks at him. No wonder
she thinks that his wife loves him! He
Is all that a man should be. and has
been her boy. her darling. her blessing
and comfort! She determines for his
sake to love the wife that he has chosen.
II seems easy at first. when the girl
IL uncsed 70 the new conditions. and
when there has been no reason for
conflict OF wills. But when the wife be-
gins to feel Jealous of her liege lords
frequent absences from home and his
presence at hts mothers house. when
she finds that the son and mother still
nave sweet commences 'ogether' sne pe-
comes resenttuL she does not KNOW that
she Is jealous, and would deny 1t posi-
lively II she were told the truth. But
she thinks that she Is lonely and unis
Is a favorite excuse) that jacks mother
never VIII love her! she tells JACK So
Whereupon JACK DEMANDS angriy-re-
member ne is new and rapturous bride
groom sthl-"hat ms motner mas SAID 10
his dear little sweetheart to make her
think mat! Phen MS sweetheart ae-
knowledges that 1t Is not what his
mother has actually said or done that
has hurt her but what she has left I'm
done. She hardly ever asks me to &C
company you when you go to see her,
she reminds him. Ii she sheds few
tears when she says II the effect is much
more fetching Know that she doesn't
care Tor men ana that sne resents your
love for me- she means. And the poor
man. married and distressed, VIII surfer
less II ne believes MS wires complaints
than II ne continues TO De mis- mother
intimate eoniioan'e.
The result Is only what might have
been expected Inc husband goes less
often 10 see ms mother ana wnen he does
go insists mat MS VIE accompany MIN
ana the mother' noucins the change IN
me- manner ana rememoerins what hei
boy was oerore ms marriage lays the
isuit al tne ooor Oh ner oaughterin-iaW
anu says vas devoted son unit
ne was Hiarr'eo' Ihen Jealousy on ths
iiiot'el - $3.50 - i'sen ana she SUI
Iers intensely "ha' Nonoer tnat shs