Show kathle e n norris says the meanest mot her syndicate service ej 55 ro KV W 1 lyl 1131 12 7 av P I 1 MIN brown had a stenographers steno graphed job fab its in kane smiths office that her sots son would waste even a passing glance glanca upon this commoner was unthinkable to mrs smith by KATHLEEN NORRIS kano kane smith married WHEN lilla brown his mother like it mrs smith was a proud woman prominent in club and social circles her late husband had been mayor for three terms she lived in a big h house 0 use with her adored son for companion and she suspected every girl in the world of trying to trap kane lilla brown was a pretty ambitious girl who had a stenographers position in kane kanc smiths office lillas father was and is a cooper operating in a small open fronted shed down among the ma machine chine shops and factories her mother who had raised five children all married but lilla ran a flourishing board ing house lillas three sisters and her brother were all leading far from aristocratic lives getting jobs losing jobs having babies and motor accidents running in and out of each others houses laughing crying gossiping and kissing ma that her son would waste even a passing glance upon this commoner was unthinkable thinkable to mrs smith the tact fact that kane was serious about it bringing bold defiant liua lilla to the house announcing publicly that they were going to be married made his mother actually III liua lilla dressed conspicuously sho she chewed gum she took a saucy proprietary attitude toward kane wot of all she seemed to feel that her family was wa just as good as his lillas powers prevail so his mother did what so many mothers do and lilla did what so many girls do mrs smith snubbed lilla reproached kane let the whole world know that she had forbidden the match and lilla used her power her youth and beauty and his passionate love to alienate kano kane from his mother 1 I know just what a tittle little brute I 1 was writes lilla my own mother told me I 1 was making a mis take but I 1 was so mad that my one idea was revenge for two years kane went to see his mother for an hour once a week and I 1 never sent her a message even eve n when our little girl was born she sent me kanes christening dress and his silver mug but I 1 never acknowledged them she had said terrible things about my folks and although pop and ma never resented them I 1 did that was three years ago now jo anno is three and our little boy a year old on kanes kanea birthday last month we moved into our new house and had a real housewarming house warming for or my family who all adore kane because 1 be e manages everything for all of them and I 1 asked him if he was perfectly happy and he said yes he would be if only his mother and I 1 hate each other so I 1 made up my mind then that I 1 would make friends efforts to make blake up snubbed when I 1 went to see her and said that it seemed very silly to keep up the old fight I 1 really felt sorry for her sho has had to give up the big house now and has only two rooms she must be very lonely but she was very cool and said that she certainly thought that the fault had not been all on her side I 1 came away feeling very much snubbed and kane said when I 1 told him that I 1 had done au all I 1 could do and that the next move must come from her but I 1 dont like to leave it that thai way and am writing to ask you what to do god has been very goot to kane hane and me we have our lovely home and our beautiful chIldr childred er lilla used her power her youth and beauty and his passionate love to alienate katie kane irom from hu his mother MOTHER IN LAW TROUBLES are you and your mother in law on speaking terms or is there a feud cud between the two of 01 you that resembles resemble the martin and the coy episodes if 11 the latter is true trite you youre re not alo nein your trials lita lilla end and jo thought they mey had the meanest mother in laws ol of all eventually they changed their minds read kathleen norris nonis stirring lesson on ion forgiveness kindness and humbly humility end and everything everyN ng goes well weh with him at the office my sisters husbands are doing well too kane has been generous in helping them to better jobs lately we have all started going to church again and it does seem very hypocritical to pray when my own childrens grandmother never sees them because of the old bitterness time may alay heal rift what more can I 1 do there seems to be no use in going to see her just to be snubbed again yet for or kanes sake and tor for the childrens too I 1 would be glad to make peace in answer to lilla I 1 ani am going to quote again what was printed hero some years ago the true story of a fine woman in our town in her caso case the mother in law was positively hostile she had bad picked out another girl for her son she would not even speak to the girl he married for two years don and jo had to live in another city when they returned to our town jo called on her mother in law who refused to see her breakfast with grandma works after that ion don asked his wife somewhat uncertainly it if she would mind his going to see his mother jo said of course not and to take the baby so don took phyllls phyllis to call on the old tyrant who suggested that they come to breakfast on sunday for two years don and phyllls phyllis and after awhile baby arthur went to have breakfast with grandma and grandpa grandpa by the way was a gentle browbeaten brow beaten old fellow who saw something of jo on the sly but never dared face down his wife jo surrendered husband and children every sunday for two years and more and then one day the old lady came to see jo and burst into tears and asked forgiveness now they till all have sunday breakfast and many another meal together smarts smart or just plain old fashioned good in all that time jo has never said a cruel critical resentful word she solved the problem in her own way and it was the way that never falls keep calling so 90 my advice to lilla is to call again and again after that to ask kanes mother to come in for or a family supper to ignore the past letting the actions of the present speak louder than any memory of foolish hot words tn in a day long dead for in her heart the older domun Is dying to be friends years of pride and hate may have built barriers across and around that heart they are not easily lowered but she loves her son and so she loves beyond all other loves the children ot of her son and she thanks god in that stubborn soul of hers that kane has found a wife who has given hirn him a real home and lovely children childred lilla can afford to be humble chumbl to be patient to be loving to kanes mother someday bhe may want some other young woman strong in youth and b beauty and love to be all that to her family unity is a thing of incalculable value in au all our lives it enrich and beau beautifies tilles everyday drudgery it puts into the souls and characters of children something that nothing else can replace love Is 14 the irresistible weapon loves manifestations in Put patience lenc humility forgiveness kindness are an arsena no human heart can resist to make a friend of an enemy is one of the privileges of nil all human experience |