The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1919-10-02
UNWELCOME GUEST.
BY JACK LAWTON.


manner wfS constrained.
Its from aunt" he explained terS~-
As. wants to come and visit US"
Mot" Beatrice ssh. your Aunt
Drusilla. Billy?"
Being that Aunt Drusilla = the
only aunt I possess. II is naturally
herself" His tone was pettish.
Beatrice's soft eyes filled with tears.
sBut Billy" she protested I'VE Just
can't have her We've been go oliss-
ful alone. Your father has always
held up this sister Of his as q para
son housekeeper. You know how very
particular your mother says she was
about-everything. She's unmarried
Of course, and will criticize me. ana
nv lack OF system. and oh, you
needn't tell me" as Billy ventured
rem,nstrance-"I 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, Billyr
The young husband avoideO his
wife'S aggrieved eyes.
About a month. she says" ne re-
piled.
Beatrice stiffened deflantly.
well. she won't stay month
here" she said.
Aunt Drusilla writes" Billy sug-
rested. that she is longing to meet
her new niece. She hasn't seen me
since I was almost kid. She was
goinx to be married then, remember
but something broke 1t on
"Her own e1acting disposition PROB
ably" Beatrice spitefully remarked
That's not quite fair Of you" Billy
defended. His wife smiled.
aYou see" she said. shes begin
ming to make trouble between us al
ready"
Trouble indeed seemed to fall 10
Billy's lot. Mentally he blamed the
aunt who insisted upon thrusting her
presence where the presence OF t"o'
was all sufficient. And upon the day
of Aunt Drusillas arrival Beatrice
fell Ill.
IN vain Billy telephoned various
xoms, helpers. The helpers were
busy. As a last resort. and though
his pocketbook could Ill 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 no!
necessarily serious. the doctor assured
him that she must have immediate
care.
Billy himself prepared his VIE
breakfast coffee before he went 10
mset the inevitable Aunt Drusilla. and
Beatrice made a face over the coHee
It's horrid." she said. ungracious'
Iv .snd YOU must insist upon taking
your aunt to hotel. She can't stay
here now. You see that" The
voice ended in an invalid's wall
Billy hurriedly beat retreat.
Billy considered his problems as ne
hurried his little car toward the sta
t,on and when he saw his waiting and
half.forgotten aunt his perple1it'
grew.
Here was not a QIiet old body to oe
Urbtly disposed Of. but a smiling and
assured person In pleasing attire mel
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
IN awful thing happened to Billy
Stooping in hurried embarrassment Il
start the cars engine. the handle
wrenched itself suddenly free IRON
his grasp to deal him a terrible DION
Billy, white with pain. knew Wha'
afterward proved to be true-that Ms
arm was broker.
II was Aunt Drusilla who gently
forced him into the car, and her com
petent self at the wheel took hin
where prompt aid could be found
When the doctor had bandaged Billy
into relief, Aunt Drusilla continued Il
drive the car home.
White Tipped and weak. Billy man
axed to tell his aunt Of his yount
vtte's illness and Of their now heip
less plight. Apologetically he sug
rested a hotel as her own temporar!
refuge.
Aunt Drusilla good humoredly waved
his suggestion aside.
81 wondered" she said laughingly
.why il was borne forcibly upon MI
that 1 must spend month with you
now I know"
Beatrice's first iRtimation OF her un
welcome guest was when sweet
faced woman bent sympatheticall!
over her bed. proffering as she intro
duced herself, an invitingly arrange
luncheon tray.
BILLY has had all injury 10 his arm
the new aunt Informed her. and
have made him comfortable upon III
couch.