St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1958-08-22
by hazel
underwood
SUMMER VISITORS


said he told her his mother said
she wasn't running a rest home
Little by little l heard about
that rest home. Mary. as l viii
call the mother, took her 20 year.
old daughter and spent a month
visiting her rs year-old mother
in-law who owned a large 10 room
home on the outskirts Of the city.
She was an immaculate house
keeper and when she finished with
her regular work she was a little
tired and meals were a little slow
being served TO her house guests.
l asked Mary why on earth didn't
she and her daughter take care
Of the meals while they were there,
She gave me a piercing look and
said, I'VE were on our vacation
said do you mean to tell me
you didn't help with the house
work nor the meals all of the
time you were there7
She said Il told you we were on
vaoation" Disguised. l told her
she had nerve wondering WHY
she was not invited back, / was
surprised her mother-in-law even
wrote 10 her Then she was hurt
so told her the least they could
have done was to get up and
"tidy" up the house or help get
the meals asked IL her mother
in-law had hired help and when
Mary said no / told her she or
her daughter should have taken
turns EACH and EVERY day they
were there TO help Mother" with
the homework. the meals AND the
dishes not because they had to but
out OF respect for a person who
will gladly do all they can TO make
your visit a pleasant one IL they
can find the time.
There are some homes where
a guest Is really a guest, but
when an older woman tries to keep
the house presentable day after
day when there is n young girl
II Is a little difficult and
just n few minutes help from the
guest every one could be sitting
down or ready TO go sightseeing or
what ever they might plan to do.
Mary said, Mother was always
too tired to go any place" OF
course she was, no one thought of
going to bed until late at night
and no one got up to help Mother
with the work so she was a little
late with meals and when callers
came, she hurried out and SHE
made and carried in TO the guests
a nice refreshing treat. When they
had finished Mother carried the
tray OF dishes OUT
said Mary, how could you do
such thing to such a nice person
Don't you know Il Is the thing TO
offer 10 help your hostess when
YOU are n guest in her homer II
isn't even necessary TO offer, most
guests just say, II win be happy
10 dry the dishes, unless there
Is dishwasher and then IL just
takes a few seconds to pile the
dishes In that, Each moment you
help your hostess. win free her
and she win gladly show you the
city Or take you to return calls
etc.
Maybe Mary doesn't realize It..
but her husbands mother was
happy TO have them come and
happy to have them leave because
she was so tired waiting on them
Being q mother, she did all she
could to make their visit a happy
one and Il was happy for all OF
them Mother was really proud OF
her sons family and she said they
were welcome TO come back any
time but she was not able 10 wal,
on them like she did that one
time.
II would be lovely TO be able to
take vacation and rest and enjoy
the trip II your hostess had hired
help and did not need any assist
ancc nom YOU, but when you so
20 visit in any home there are a
few little things YOU can do tina,
will make YOU more than welcome
Tor a return visit and you nor
your hostess will be too tired to
enjoy your visit
Let me hasten TO say Mother
was not really keeping house, She
was simply picking up after the
papers and books had been read
and laid aside, the night before,
She did not do one thing to make
her children" uncomfortable.
Perhaps you, too, feel when YOU
80 on your vacation YOU want 10
rest and be waited on I quote.
that is why they have hotels"
Mother has written and invited
her children 20 come and see her
again. This time she wrote she
viu have plenty OF food and sup
plies IN but they win have TO help
her Just little
Mary and Ellen. her daughter
are 50 happy FOR chance 10
prove they have learned a lesson
that they are very anxious 70
make this trip. Their Mother
has not had a vacation since her
husband died twenty years ago