Her Mother-in-law

Ned Chatterton was a good deal of a motber's boy - that is to say, sueh a warm affection existed between mother and son that it was remarkable in thia day of filial laxity. So when it became known that Adslaide Westcott was engaged to him, her rc-ny friends grew solicitous in warning her as to the course she should pnrsue in regard to her future rnotherin-law. "Wben a mother bas always had such complete ascendency over a son, it is alwayg a hard matter to raake her recognize a wife's right, and if this is to be done, positive measnres must be employed from the first. " So her friends said, and hor own mother gave her some good advice in the same line, while her Bister Nell deplored the necessity of having mothers-in-law and reviewed all the traditions in regard to those very nndesirable personages. With so much instrnction Adelaida beoame also irubued with very positive cotions on the subject. Of course, he was an only son and bis mother a widow, but ehe could never consent to live in the same house with the eider womru. If all was to go weJl, she was to begin right. Of course, Ned loved bis mother, but matrimony would put him under new obligations. At her first opportunity ahe explained it all to him snd insisted that they should keep a separate establishment. Ned looked pained, but he said : "I shall do as you say in the mattor, Adelaide, though I bad looked forward to a very happy companionship between you and my little mother. She is not hard to get along with, I know, and be couid have helped you so much with her advice and counsel in the household affairs. " But Adelaide showed him how a mother-in-law, by ber very love and preference for her son, might canse dissension between husband and wife. Perhaps he was not convinced, but ha yielded the point and tbey were married. All of Adelaide's friends congratulated her upon her good sense, aud behind bis back praised Ned for his consideration in sparing his wife the presenco of a But he gave himself the satisfaction of setting up honsekeeping within a blook of the mother he loved. Sometimes at night, when he and Adelaide sat lonely by the fire, be thought of his motber and wished that she might be with them, but on the wbole they were happy and no morbid thoughts entered his brain, for he believed that in time Adelaide's own good sense would triuinph over the prejudices aroused by offlcious friends. But this was his mother's wisdom. There were times when the eider Mrs. Chatterton wept a little that she was denied the daily visión of her son's joy, f but she said nothing and kept her tears to herself. Ned was very faithful and dutiful, but she did not go often to the house, because ber presence always seerued to put Adelaide in a mood of defense almost bordering on aggression. The young woman meant to be understood, and plainly understood, that she I would tolérate the interf erence in her affairs of no mother-in-law. And so the months passed. In the first glowof connubial joyNed had neglected his club, but as time went on and the household began to move in the accustomed routine he began occasionally to drop in and spend a social hour with bis man friends. At first it was but once in two or three weeks and only an hour or two then. Then he went more frequently and staid later. Some evenings Adelaide was very lonesome, and after awhile, when he staid late, would cry to herself, but she always tried to welcome his return with an unclouded face. Sbe believed that it was only thoughtlessness, and that after awhile, when he carne to realize how very louely she was, be would not stay away from her eo long. But he did not scem to realize. Once, when she -was very lonesome, ' Mrs. Chatterton carue in and sat with her. They talked together and busied i themselves with some needlgwork, and j the hours difi not seem so long. And when Ned carne that night they walked home with ms mother and all were '' light hearted ad happy. But other evenings passed when nobody carne in, or when ber mother or Nell dropped in to find her alone, and hinted that Sïed was neglecting her. They would look at her strangely, as if tbey pitled her, and wondered if she were happy. Somehow this pained her. tied was good. She loved him andknew fiiat he loved her; he was only thoughtless. She said this over and over to herself, and she eould not bear to see in the eyes of her relatives the look that accused him. One aight when he had been later tban Wal and wben her heart was overfnH she tried to teil him how he was paining her, but broke down and buist int tears. His face was flmshed and he answered hr impatiently : "NomseDse. Addy; don't act like a baby; you must remembei iliat you are j a woman. You onghtw't to cxpect a i man te stick ju thii houfte uil tb.o time. " j It vram't mi mucfa what be said. bmt tbe tone in which he said it, that iiurt her and marie her sob sileutly until she Itll as leep. There was Eorneüinig restrained and sbaruefaced in his marnier as he kissed her goodby the nest rnorning and went down town, but in the eveuing he returned early, and after dinner he did Bot go out. He was restless and nervous and didn't seem to bo roading the paper wbich he hsld up before hija. Between husbaud and wife there was an embarrassing silence. There eeerued to be no corumon theme for them to talk about They retired early, and again Adelaida' pillow was wet with teara. It is a very easy matter to teil when a man stays in the house out of a sense of duty. That ia what Ned did for several nigbta, but it brought Adelaide no happiness and him no comfort. Her heart was ovarfull and she wanted sympathy and counsel. To whom ehonld she turn? Would not her father teil her that she was foolish? Wculd not her mother be angry and blame Ned? Would not Nel! pityher? No; she conld not go to none of these. Then suddenly she thongbt of Mrs. Chatterton. She nnderstood Ned. She lovedhim. Would she not also understand the eituation and be able to advise her? When she had gained courage enough, she went down to her mother-in-law'sandsobbed out the whole story to her. Theold lady took her in her anns as she would have a tired child. "Yon poor, little girl, " she said. "Ned has been very bad to you, and Yon didn't know how to manage him. How should yon? But be patiënt; we shall bring the yonng man around all right. " Mrs. Chatterton bent down and kissed the girl, who lay sobbing in her arms, and hope sprang up in the young wife's heart. It was a mattpr of somo doubt whether Nod was more pieased or snrprised ■when, on the following night, Adelaide said to him : "Would yon mind going to the club tonight, Ned? Mother and I are going out for a little while, and I am afraid you wil] be lonesome." "CertainJy uot," he replied, "but I thought yoar mother was out of the city." "I mean Mother Chatterton - your mother," she said, faltering and blushiug. "Oh," he said tenderly, and he was slow in getting his hat, and he kissed her twice before going out. He carne home early that evening, and his mother was just about to leave as he entered. She paused only long enough to say: "111 be over tomorrow evening. Mr. and Mrs. Dolaney are coming with the hope of beating you and Addy a few games of cards. I'll have to come and make a welsh rabbit for you, I snpposo. " "That wilï be just the thing," said Ned. "I'll show Torn Delaney whether he eau beat us at cards ornot. Do come, mother. Wait a minute, and Addy and I will walk home with you. Won't we, dear?" But his wife was already throwing on her cape. Next night Mr. and Mrs. Delaney came and Ned and Adelaide were beaten, but Mrs. Chatterton made the Welsh rabbit - she had never made a better one - and there were jokes and stories and bright conversation all through the short evening. Delaney proposed that the three Chattertons come over to his house on the next evening and get their revenge, and they went. There were more jokes and bright talk, and, best of all, this time Ned won. "How pleasant these evenings are, " he said to Adelaide, as with her on one arm and hia mother on the other he wended his homeward way, "and how foolish I bave been to have been wasting them at the club. We must keep them np, eh, little girl?" They were just at Mrs. Chatterton's gate, but Adelaide put her hand on the old lady's arm. "Yon are going home with ns to epend the night," she said. "And there is to be no demur, little mother, " arlded Ned, sweeping her on past the gate. She could not but consent. Far into the night, after Mrs. Chatterton had gona to bed, Ned and Adelaide talked. They made plans for future pleasure, and their yonthful joy eeemed the revival of thehoneymoon entbusiasm. "We shall have such glorious times," said Ned. "Mother is right her near VB." "She must be nearer, Ned," said Adelaide. "I want her to live right here with ns. " "But, Adelaide"- "Ned, I desire it. Don't gay no. I'va got over some foolish notiona of mine and I just begin to find how much I need a mother-in-law. " Her friends say : "It is strange that after starting out go well she would let him bring that mother-in-law in on her, but I euppose he compelled her ; that's