Cheyenne record., 1916-11-09
"ukE MOTHER MADE"
BY FANNY GRAY.

mother had slaved for him all his life
and but for the fact that his was !
naturally sunny, unselfish nature, hi
upbringing would have spelled ruin:,
ton.
On the whole, however, he was I,
pretty good sport, and Lena, who had
married him with her eyes open, had
little cause for complaint. Naturall,
he had imbibed the idea that 1t was
woman's place to do all she could t,
please man, especially to cater to his
stomach; for mother" had Away
striven to crafty his appetite, ano
shaved over a hot stove to get up a
meal that should please him and his
farmer father.
Now Lena was something Of cook
herself, and rather proud of it, though
she did yield the palm to her mother.
in-law in some things. When they were|
first married, Nathan had compliment-|
ed her highly; but, after time. he|
had become more critical, and uncon-|
sciously fell into the habit of COM
pairing his own table with his mothers.
Lena took it good naturedly, always|
had q ready answer and so frictiOhI
was avoided. But the habit grew until
it became very pernicious one, and|
Lena woke up ut last to realize that
she never served meal that did notl
bring forth some comment or criticism.
She turned the situation over and|
over in her mind, wondering how she|
could meet it.
Finally she hit upon plan. Ma
than's mother was a pretty good sort,
after all. And, although she had been|
weak and had spoiled her son, she rec
ognized the fact and regretted it.
Knowing this, Lena decided to go to
her for help in her trouble.
She laid the case before her, and
the older woman entered into her plan
most readily.
A few days after Lena's conference
with Mrs. Leach, Nathan received a
letter from his mother, who lived sew
eral miles away, stating that she would
arrive on the next day to pay them
visit of a week.
The next morning, at breakfast, aft
er u slightly adverse comment on the
coffee, Nathan began: Il do hope
you'll be real careful, Lena, about the
cooking while mothers here. She's a
right smart hand at it, is mother, and l
shouldn't want her to think l wasn't
havin' as good victuals as she used to
set before me-"
Mrs. Leach arrived. Dinner the first
day passed off very well, but after
ward Nathan took occasion to say,
when he and Lena were alone, Say,
Lena, if there's one thing mother can
cook it's beefsteak, and that we had
today wasn't up to the mark-not by a
good deal"
'That so?" said Lena quietly. well,
1 didn't see anything the matter with
1t. Your mother ate her share all
right, and acted as If she liked it,
too."
"Oh, she'd seem to. You know that.
But tell you it was overdone."
Lena didn't answer, and Nathan said
no more then. But similar scenes took
place during the whole of his mothers
visit. Possibly he criticized little
less openly than he had been doing at
the table, but Lena had to listen to
complaints and comparisons till it was
u wonder how good-naturedly she bore
It.
Sometimes, In the presence Of both,
he would refer to the things mother
used to make" half jokingly. or ask
Lena to get the recipe for this thing
or that.
On the last day of Mrs. Leach's stay,
lying down on the sofa and his mother
ready to take up the dinner and serve
him. In response to inquiries, Lena
made light Of her indisposition, and
even ventured the statement that she
was feeling SO much better maybe she
would come to the table.
your mother got the dinner, Ma
than" she said, as Mrs. Leach was
taking up the beefsteak and vege-
tables. II am sure you'll enjoy it,
You bet I WILL" agreed Nathan,
drawing up his chair. Seems just
as If I was at home again."
Everything came in for praise. Never
was steak SO exactly right, potatoes
be more mealy, and as for the
hot biscuits and rhubarb pie-well, |
they were perfect.
Nathan drove his mother home In
the cool Of the early evening. When he |
returned, Lena, having recovered re-
well from her illness of the |
sat on the plaza, waiting for
him.
There was something she wanted to |
say, but, somehow, now the moment
had come, she couldn't seem to find
the right words. But her mother-in- |
law had done all the enlightening for
her.
Nathan felt his way in the dark to |
the chair near hers, and both kept ST. |