Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-02
SUB ROSA
BY MIMI.
Making Best of Worst.

Edith's problem Is not a new one.
but 1t Is nevertheless hard on the
little girl.
She's up against the situation
which has helped all the funny papers
In the country for the last twenty
years. You've guessed it. The
old mother-in.law puzzle.
Mother-in.law hasn't enough money
to live alone, but owns Just enough
to be independent in some ones home.
Edith isn't the only damsel who's
tossing on her bed nights worrying
and fretting over her husba nds moth.
err.
To begin with, II seems TO me an
awful lot of applesauce has been
written on the subject Of a husban nd 5
mother.
For years we have been fed up to
the ears with the stories of brave
young girls whose gentleness and
sweetness SO won the hearts of stony.
hearted mothers.in.law that all lived
in three-room fiat together, and
remained happy indefinitely. That,
readers. Ia the bunk.
The most that can be established
between a young wife and mother.
in.law il a peaceful relationship.
Few, indeed, are the mothers OF
sons who take their law
10 their bosoms and Immediately pro-
coed TO treat them like real fiesh.and.
blood daughters.
The thing isn't natural Every
mother in the world worships her
boy. She loves him. slaves for him.
cries over him and glories In the
knowledge that he needs her and
wants her.
Then along comes a young girl
a girl who hasn't done a thing for
him except smile and f1irt and prom
Use. This flip young thing. without
one bit OF trouble. steps in and cap.
lures her boys heart. Mother may
not be left out in the cold entirely,
but she's certainly displaced. She's
not what she used 10 be. And even
though her successor may he the
sweetest. best girl In the world, she
can't instantly fall in love with some
one who has taken her place.
Well. then. there must be an adjust
ment. and II can't be effected within
the first few weeks OF married life.
IL must be done easily and the sit.
uation must be handled as tactfully
az possible by both women who love
the one man.
Now the poor girl who finds that
married life Is going 10 be shared
with mamma-in.law must start right
from the beginning to make the best
OF the situation.
She mustn't. for q moment. try
10 rush into a warm. happy relation.
ship with the older woman. She
must be cautious. wary and diSnl.
fled
There IL no earthly reason why she
should call her husbands mother.
Mother" until the names comes nat.
urally.
There should he no excess display
Of aTectlon-~no constant catering TO
the third party.
There should be frank. friendly.
open minded attitude. plenty Of self.
respect. and an earnest desire for CO.
operation.
But the girl who optlmisticallv
starts of by trying TO he n real dauEh.
ter to the woman whose successor
she Is won't get very far usually.
Better for her 10 realize her status,
and DO Independent. firm and sel.-
respecting.
Let her not melt into a wouldhe
daughter, Let her stand pat IA
her husbands wife Mother viii nnd
Il easier that way than II the new
conner insisted on affection and gush'
ing speeches,
II YOU treat your mother.in'law az
n guest~~put her In her place gently
hut f,rmly--youll win the day. He
sweet and kind. but don't he TOO
anxiuos 10 please. Remember that
Mira. Newly We'd
tCopyrtTht. iassl