I witnessed, not long ago, the skillful impersonation of a husband who held in his hand a letter just received from his wife.  The first page informed him that after his departure from home his wife’s mother had arrived; the second, that she intended to remain during the winter; the third, that she had been taken suddenly and violently ill; and the fourth, that she was dead.  The reader spoke no word while perusing the epistle, but his facial play attested his emotions better than speech could have done.  His countenance was grave on learning of the visit, desperate at the thought of its length, and expressed annoyance at the inconvenience of her illness while under his roof; when the final page was reached, his features became illumined with ecstatic joy.  Dropping the letter, he clasped his hands, and, raising his eyes, ejaculated with blissful fervor—­

“Thank Heaven! she’s dead!”

Of course we laughed.  It was expected of us.  Nevertheless, this kind of jesting has its effect.  It is dangerous playing with edged tools that would be better laid aside and allowed to rust instead of being brought forward where they may do mischief.

The relation of mother-in-law and son-or daughter-in-law ought to be what I am glad to think it sometimes is, one of perfect harmony.  The mother who has brought up a daughter to woman’s estate, and made her fit to be the wife of a good man and the mother of his children, should be appreciated by the man who profits by the wife’s mother’s teachings.  Had this mother been careless and negligent, allowing the daughter to cultivate traits that make her husband wretched, how quick would he be to lay the blame where it belongs,—­upon the mother who trained, or left untrained the daughter.  Why should he not give credit to the same source?

There are many women who, to their shame be it said, openly sneer at their mothers-in-law, and ridicule their manners, habits, etc.  Yet, in the same breath, the woman of this class will freely state that she has “the best husband in all creation.”  Whose influence made him the man he is, if not the mother’s with whom, for so many years, he was the first and dearest care, until she uncomplainingly saw him leave her home with the girl he married?

Husband and wife do not look into the matter deeply enough to think what underlies this dislike for the other’s mother.  The man who truly loves his wife will do all in his power and make any self-sacrifice to further her happiness.  If she is not an exceptional woman, she will be made happier by his affection for the mother to whom she is devoted, and miserable by a lack of this sentiment.  Let us argue the case according to rule.  It makes Mary happy if John is fond of her mother, and unhappy if he is not.  If John loves Mary he wishes to make her happy. Ergo, when he shows his love for her mother he is likewise giving evidence of his love for Mary.