Page:Side talks with girls (1895).djvu/247

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The Young Wife's First Year
235

whom you know slightly. And you must not, if wish to retain her love and sympathy, receive your husband's mother in any other way. Listen to her words of advice, think them over, and if you do not believe it is wise to follow them give her your reasons for this. Don't ignore the wisdom that she has gained by experience. Somebody asks, "Shall she be a slave to her husband's people!" Certainly not. No good, loving woman ever was a slave when she did what was right. But no good, loving woman ever treated the mother that she has gained by marriage in the way that I have seen some mothers treated—mothers who wished to give to their sons' wives exactly the same love and sympathy, to show the same kindness and give the same active help that they have always given to their own daughters.

TO KEEP QUIET

Remember that what you learn about your husband's family is to be kept to yourself; that when you married him and took his name you became one of the family, and the little trouble, the little skeleton, is not to be discussed with the members of the family of which you were born. To your sister it may mean nothing that some trouble has come to your husband's brother. You may tell it to her in secrecy, and it may seem of so little im-