The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1890-01-16
AUNT BATES.

Inc DeTlOulC lCdl NlSllS ula'tc ny IiullI
Bates to her friends and relatives were rs
! inevitable and as much dreaded as the
cquinoxial gales.
This slangy generation would style her
a 'spongc," but the sentiment of hos
pitality was strong among the people Of
the South in those old days.
Aunt Bates had fair, faded face that
bore traces of former beauty, and usually
wore a lace kerchief, disclosing her
withcred neck, because, as she was fond
of telling the girls, her "swan-likc
throat had been the toast of all South
Carolina.
As regarded her character, she posi-
lively refused to take hint, and nothing
ever put her out of countenance. She
went frxi house tc house, bearing tales,
and would have been perfect fire brand
If her reputation had not been so we'll
known.
1t seemed doubtful if Aunt Bates were
capable of sincere emotion of any kind,
but she seemed to feel sort of pride in
the beauty of her two grandnieces, Gym
thia and Laura Lemarc. They were the
children of her nephew, the son and
namcsake of her favorite brother, Philip,
whose praises she seemed never weary of
chanting.
"Honey," she would say, "thcre arc
no mon nowadays as fine and handsome
as Philip-and your poor deceased pa
took after him. When l was girl and
he was baby boy, l used to take him out
with me, and, honey, handsome young
gentleman sent me a beautiful copy of
verses comparing us to Venus and Cupid"
One fine day Aunt Bates appeared at
the house o. hheef heef cousin, John Dalrymple.
She was his favoritc aversion, and when
he found she had come to stay he col
lected all the clocks in the house, besides
borrowing several from the nei ighbors.
These he wound and regulated so that
they would strike at all hours of the day
and night, and set them about Aunt
Bates sleeping apartment. 1t is needless
TO say that her slumbcrs were not peace
ful.
"Honey," she said, the next morning,
at breakfast, II don't think it agrees
with my health to sleep in a room that
has so many clocks in it, so I'll just go
on to Sabinas. She is always begging
and praying me to stay with her. No
butter, honey, thank you, though it's 4
great temptation when it's as beautiful as
yours. How do you make it so bcauti
full, honey? Inever see any like it any
where else"
Shortly after this Mrs. Dalrymplc heard
that Aunt Bates had remarked to another
victim of her visiting mania. "I'm just
starved for butter, honey, because I've
been staying with Jane Dalrymple. l
never cat butter at James. Shcsto fond
of print, honey. These blue stockings
arc always poor housckecpers.
Aunt Bates went to stay with Sabina
Lemarc, the mother of Laura and Gym
thia, as she had announced her intention
of doing.
Sabina was a widow and in reduced
circumstances; for when her husband had
died three or four years ago, his affairs
had been found to be in the greatest con-
fusion. Comparatively little was saved
from the wreck, and Sabina was obliged
to leave her plantation home and move
into little brown house on the outskirts
of Beechvillc. 1t was quite Il mortifica-
tion to Aunt Bates that her favorite
grandnieccs should not be able to dress
as handsomely as their wealthy cousins;
but small as the house was, it was the
headquarters of all the young people, and
Laura and Cynthia never lacked admirers.
Sabina was sweettempered woman,
with a fat, dimpled, cherubic tace; but
she confessed that Aunt Bates always
"upset" her. She groaned in spirit when
Aunt Bates announced checrfully:
t'Tvc come to stay Il good long time,
honey. 1 know you and the dear girls
have been lonely without me-"
Shortly after Aunt Bates arrival, Mrs.
Lemarc was called from home by the
illness of her mother.
"Set your mind at rest, honey" said
Aunt Bates. "I'll look after the young
folks, and keep house for you. And, by
the by, though don't like to speak of it,
don't you think it would be just as well
to make the servants sweep under the
beds? There's always coat of dust as
thick as a blanket under every one of
them. Of course, honey, you don't mind
me telling you; for you wouldn't like
strangers calling you an untidy house
keeper"
Mrs. Lemarc's round, sweet face turned
very red, and it was with difficulty she
rcprcssed sharp answer. Aunt Bates's
relatives treated her with great deal of
generous forbearancc-always saying,
"Oh, she's poor, you know, and has no
home"
1t is doubtful whether even legacy
hunters could have endured her imper-
tincnces, had she been wealthy.
Now that Laura and Cynthia held the
reins, the little brown horse was gayer
than ever. One evening they were play
ing blind-man buff, with all its atten-
dant noise and merriment and Aunt
Bates took occasion to remark, during
pause, " Laura, honey, feel it my duty
to write to your dear ma to tell her how
beautifully you arc taking care of every
thing. She'll be gratiticd, honey-shc'll
be very much gratitied." Then she re-
tired to the kitchen, and said to Lucinda,
the stout cook. " Lucinda, you had better
send word to your mistress to come home
right away, if shc wants to find anything
left of the house. These young people
are the most torn-down pieces!