Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 90, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 February 1912 — Domestic Peace [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Domestic Peace

Mother Can Live With Son’s Wife

By JESSIE CARLETON

HERE is so much unnecessary trouble in the wcrld, so much that might be avoided by giving more thought to our own problems and trying a little harder for happiness. When my son, who was the light of my eyes, in his very early ysath ran away and married a girl of whom I couldn’t help but disapprove, my heart was broken. It was as if he had died. But I soon, having a little sense and experience, awoke to the fact that if I was not to lose him altogether I must make the best of the girl he had married. Why shouldn’t one? .

Why must a woman criticise, advise and .interfere when she knows, when she is old enough to know, that the advice will not be heeded, and that the criticism and interference will be resented, and when what she risks is—the love of her son! I made up my mind that I was the one who had the sense and the experience; therefore I was the one to overlook 'and make allowances. I won’t say that it was easy to withhold advice when I saw them going wrong, but I never gave it unless I was asked. They had to learn wisdom of the only teacher —experience. When they made mistakes I sympathized instead of criticised. la Everything that 1 disapproved of I ignored, and everything that could be praised I praised. They have been married five years now, and though we have lived together most of the time, there has never once an angry word passed

between us. The faults in her that I most deplored have been cured by association and example. She is like an own daughter to me, and I am proud of her wherever she goes. They are planning their own home now, and “mother’s room” is part of the plan, and they have two lovely children, who seem to love “grandmother” quite as much as either parent. Now, isn’t this worth while? My fellow mothers-in-law, can’t you remember how crude, how selfish, how immature you were at the age of this girl, who comes into your family hoping to find love and who finds only criticism? 4 ■ .