Show kathleen norris S says cays the meanest mother inlaw in edw bell be syndicate service lilla brown had a stenographers stenographer 1 a ob in kane smiths office loffle that heridon 0 o would waste evin even a passing g glance ce upon tipon anthis this commoner was unthinkable to urs mrs smith sy by KATHLEEN NORRIS HEN kane smith married WHEN lilla brown his mother like it mrs smith was a proud woman prominent in club and social birc circles her late husband had beeri been mayor for three terms she lived in a big bid house with her adored son for companion and she sus suspected pe acted every girl in the world of trying to trap karie kane lilla brown was a pretty am ambitious bilious girl who had a stenographers position in kane smiths office lillas father was and is a cooper coope operating in a small open fronted shed shad down among the machine shops and factories her mother who had raised flye childre nall all married marrie d but lilla r ran i ai a flourishing flo uri shing board ing house lillas three sisters and her brother were all leading far from aristocratic lives getting jobs losing 10 jobs bs having babies and motor accidents running in and out of each others houses laughing crying gossiping and kissing ma that her con would waste even a passing glance upon this commoner was unthinkable to mrs smith the fact that kane was serious about it it bringing bold defiant lilla to the house bouse announcing publicly that they were going to be nan led made his mother actually ill lilla dressed conspicuously she chewed gum shi she took a saucy proprietary attitude toward kane worst of all she seemed to feel that her family was wai lust just as good as his lulas lillas powers Pr prevail evall so his mother did what so many mothers d do rand abid lula lilla did what so many girls girl do 0 mrs smith snubbed lille reproached e ad kane let the whole world know that she had forbidden the match andrilla and lilla used her cowern her youth and beauty and his i passionate love to alienate kane from bi his mother smother 1 I know just what a little brute I 1 was writes lula lilla my own mother told me I 1 was making a mistake but I 1 was so mad that my one idea was revenge for two years kane went to see his mother tor for an hour once a w week eek and I 1 never sent her a message even 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 und and me ma never resented them I 1 did that was three years i ago now joanne jo annes anne is three and our little boy a biar year old on kanes birthday last month we moved into our new house and had a freal housewarming house warming tor for my family I 1 who all adore kane because he manages everything tor all ol of them andi and I 1 asked him iche it he was perfectly happy and he said yes he would be if only his mother and I 1 hate eich each other so I 1 made up my mind th then enthat that I 1 would make friends efforts effort to make 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 tor for her she pas has had bad to give up the big house now nov and has only two rooms sae she must be very lonely but she was very cool and said that she certain certainly li thought that I 1 the fault had bad not been all on her side I 1 came away feeling very much snubbed and kane said sald when I 1 told him that I 1 had bad doneall done all I 1 could do and that the next move must come from her but I 1 dont me like to leave it that wai way and am writing to isk ask you what to do god has been very good to kane and me we have our lovely home and our beautiful beau chIl childred drex liua wed use d her power her youth and beauty mid and his passionate love to alienate kane iron from his mother IN UW TROUBLES are you and your mother in law on speaking terms or is there a feud between the two of you that lesem rose in ble bl esthe martin and the coy episodes if the latter is tru true you re not alone in your yo ur trials li liefa elou a and jo thought they had the meanest mother in laws of alt all evenou eventually ity they changed their minds read kathleen norris stirring lesson on forgiveness kindness and humility L and everything goes well with him at the office my sisters husbands are doing well too kane ha has a 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 w when hen my own childrens grandmother never sees them because of the old bitterness time may heal rut rift what more can I 1 do there seems to be no use in going to see her just to be snubbed again yet f for rK akanes kanes anes sake and for the childrens too I 1 would be glad to make peace in answer to lilla I 1 am go going ing to quote again what was printed hare here some years ago the true story of a fine woman in our town icher in her case the mother in law was positively hostile she had picked out another girl for her son she would not even speak to the girl he be married s 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 Bek breakfast ft with grandma works after that don asked his wife somewhat uncertainly it if she would mind his going to see his mother jo said of course botand not and to take the baby so don cau call on the old tyrant who suggested that they come to breakfast on sunday for two years don and 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 niver never dared face down his bis 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 a asked forgiveness now they all have sunday breakfast and many another meal together smart or just plain old fashioned goodin good in all that timeto 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 my advice to ellla is to call agate again and again after that to ask kanes mother to come in tor for a family supper to ignore the past letting the actions of the present speak louder than any any memory of foolish hot words in a day long dead for in her heart the older woman is dying to be friends years of pride and hate may have built barriers across and around that heart they are not easily lowered brutshe but she loves her son and so she lovesse lov loves esbe beyond all other loves the children of her son and she thanks god in that stubborn soul of hers that kane has found a wife who has given him a real home and lovely children lilla ca can nafford afford to be humble to be patient to be loving to kanes mother someday she may may want some other young woman strong in youth and beauty and love to be all that to her Far family rilly unity is a thing of incalculable value in all our lives it enriches and beautifies everyday drudgery it puts into the souls and characters of c children something that nothing else can replace love is the irresistible weapon loves manifestations in patience humility forgiveness kindness ate are an ari arsenal enal no human heart can resist to make a friend of an enemy Is one of the 1 privileges ivl leges of an all human experience |