The patriot. [volume] (Indiana, Pa.) 1914-1955, 1919-11-15

BY JACK LAWTON.


when he entered the little fiat one day
and gave to Beatrice q letter, Billie's
manner was constrained.
IT'S from aunt" he explained terse-
~, wants to come and visit US"
'Not," Beatrice said, your Aunt
.Drusilla, Billy"
"Being that Aunt DrusiIla is the
only aunt | possess, it is naturally
herself" His tone was pettish.
Beatrice's soft eyes filled with tears.
But Billy" she protested, I'VE just
can't have her. We've been 50 bliss
full alone Your father has always
held up this sister of his as a para
gon hOusekeeper. You know how very
particular your mother says she was
about-everything She's unmarried,
Of course, and will criticize me, and
my lack of system, and oh. you
needn't tell me" as Billy ventured
remonstrance-'T know that exem-
plary kind of woman. She will be the
snake in our Eden"
Beatrice caught herself up. "HoW
long is she going to stay, BilIy?'
The young husband avoided his
wife's aggrieved eyes.
about a month, she says" he re-
piled
Beatrice stiffened defantly.
"Wel. she won't stay a month
here" she said.
"Aunt Drusilla writes" Billy sug-
gested, that she is longing to meet
her new niece. She hasn't seen me
since | was almost a kid. She was
going to be married then, I remember
but something broke it off,"
"Her own exacting disposition prob
ably" Beatrice spitefuIly remarked
'That's not quite fair of you" Billy
defended. His wife smiled.
'You see," she said, "she's begin
ming to make trouble between US al
ready"
Trouble indeed seemed % fell to
BiUy's lot Mentally he blamed, the
aunt who insisted upon thrusting her
presence where the presence of two,
was all sufficient And upon the day
of Aunt Drusina's arrival Beatrice
fell in. !
in vain Billy teIephoned various
women helpers. The helpers were
busy. As a last resort, and though
his pocketbooll could i'll afford it, Billy
sought a nurses agency. No nurse
could be promised within three days
at least And though the malady from
which Beatrice suffered was not
necessarily serious, the doctor assured
him that she must have immediate
care.
Billy himself prepared his wife's
breakfast coffee before he went to
meet the inevitable Aunt Drusilla, and
Beatrice made face over the coffee.
ITS horrid," she said, ungEaciOus-
Iv. "and you must insist upon taking
your aunt to a hotel. She can't stay
here now. You see that" The
voice ended in an invalid's wall.
Billy nurriedly beat retreat.
Billy considered his problems as he
hurried his little car toward the sta
ton. and when ne saw his waiting and
half-forgotten aunt, his perpleYity
grew.
Here was not a quiet old body to be
lightly disposed of, but a smiling and
assured person in pleasing attire her
shrewd eyes twinkling at his from be
meath waving hair.
My dear boy!" she cried, putting
forth her gloved hand in greeting.
Then, after his very brief response,
an awful thing happened to Billy.
STOPPING in hurried embarrassment to
start the cars engiAe the handle
wrenched itself suddenly free from
his grasp to deal him a terrible blow.
Billy, white with pain, knew what
afterward proved to be true-that his
arm was broken.
1t was Aunt DruSilla who gently
forced him into the car, and her com
petent self at the wheel, took him
where prompt aid could be found.
When the doctor had bandaged silly
into relief, Aunt DrusiIla continued TO
drive the car home.
White Tipped and weak, Billy man
aged to tell his aunt of his young
wife,s illness and of their now help
less plight. Apologetically he sug-
gested a hotel as her own temporary
refuge.
Aunt DrusilIa good humoredly waved
his suggestion aside.
"I wondered she said laughingly,
'why it was borne forcibly upoI, me
that l must spend month with you;
now I know!"
Beatricc's first intimation of her I'M
welcome guest was when sweet,
faced woman bent Sympathetically
over her bed, proffering, as she intro
duced herself, an invitingly arranged
luncheon tray.
"BiIly has had an injury to his arm"
the new aunt informed her, "and
have made him comfortable upon the
couch
Now, sit up dearie and let US get
acquainted while you sample my cook
ing. am so glad that | happened 10