Year: 1877

CHAPTER XXI.


Mrs. Rutherford found the home of her
daughter-in-law so unlike the home she
had so long presided over as the wife Of
Solon Rutherford that her life in that
atmosphere became uncomfortable.


There was scarcely a nook or corner
of the great farmhouse to which she
could retreat and feel herself free from
the prying eyes of her sons wife and
the mischievous fingers of her many
grandchildren.


When mothers are young, and have
the charge of their own little ones, ma
ture prepares them for the burden; and
the work being labor of nature, glides
along in some way till almost before the
mother knows it she finds her children
grown and herself arrived at mature
womanhOOd. But there comes a sad
experience to many mothers when a
second growth of yet younger sciOns
comes to them, when already worn out
in the battle and toll Of life, they must
again take up the treadmill round of re-
sponsibility and care for their many
grandchildren. The power of exercis-
ing their own authority is also gone in
such case, thus giving them additional
perplexities that, but for the refining in
fiuence of long suffering and bodily en-
durance, would crush out the life of
many a mother-in-law ere the time
should come for her hair to be frosted
with silvery gray.


Men have ridiculed mothers-in-law
from time out of mind. Women have
snubbed and abused them. The press
and even the pulpit has habitually SLAM
dered them; and now the time cometh
for the average mother-in-law to have
her side of the story unfolded.


Behold the young mother with her
babe on her bosom. The year of anx-
iety, suffering, anticipation, love, ap-
prehension, and solicitude that pre-
ceded it's existence is looked upon like
the passing of pleasant and yet horri-
BILE dream. She did not expect to sur
vive the terrible ordeal. But now, as
the tender bud of promise looks with
wondering eyes into her love-lit face,
what dreams she weaves for her dar-
ling's future! How her thoughts flash
forth to span the coming years, and how
she longs to lift the curtain that merci-
fully wells the decades that must come
A year or two, and then other bird
lings come; added years, and yet others
take their places, increasing the moth.
er's suffering, care and toll; but through
it all there is an unwavering solicitude
for the eldest born, as though the fiIst
dedgling had touched tender chord in
the mother-heart which none other haC
been able to reach.


Almost before the care-torn and toll.
worn mother has been able to think o.
the possibility of such an experience fol
her tender child as she has herself strug
gled with through all her weary year.
Of 'sowing for others to reap" she find
her straying away from her love ant
confidence.


A stranger, one who has no though
or anticipation for her beloved birdlinj
except selfish and sordid desire to owl
and possess her, steps between tn
mother and the child. He fascinate
her; he carries her away captive; b
stands ever after between the two VIII
were one hitherto, and with law an
custom upon his side, speaks of th
mother-in-law with unfeeling coarse
ness and sarcastic ribaldry. The mothe
has no alternative but to suffer and en-
dure. One thing, thank heaven, she
used to suffering, having experience
little else since the honeymoon of he
own marriage was over; but she ha
hoped and prayed, oh, so earnestly, ths
q better and happier lot might be i
store for her child, that the awakenin
comes to her like the living conscious
ness of ever-abiding birth pangs. Tt
husband ownS the wife, according
mems laws and gospels. Ever after tt
mother-in-law is an interloper, supe
numerary, melancholy infringemel
upon the husbands rights.


Sometimes, as in the case Of Mr
Rutherford, the mother-in-Iaw is IL
husbands mother, and the bone of hi
den contention. Then the trouble


aggravated, especially if the mother-il
law be pecuniarily dependent, as is q
most invariably the case; for she b.
tOiled without recompense for half


lifetime; the fruits of her labors ha'
gone into the family fund; her earnin
have been appropriated by her childre
The long years that she might otherwi
have spent in laying up an indepeu
ence for her declining years have be
devoted to the work of rearing the ch
dren for whose sake she is now beggar
and ridiculed and wounded continual