l easier to get relations
than it is to get rid of them. Ahem--Cousin Ann, for instance! Cousin
Ann is so distantly related to us that one cannot trace the kinship,
but we got started wrong with her in old days and now you would think
she was as close as a mother or something.

"I'm mighty bothered about Cousin Ann, Big Josh. The fact of the
matter is, my wife won't stand for her. I can't even make her go up
and speak to the old lady. She's been talking to Cousin Betty
Throckmorton and they've been hatching up a scheme to freeze out
Cousin Ann and fix it so she'll have to go to an old ladies' home.
Cousin Mildred Bucknor is in on it, too, and from the way they've had
their heads together all evening I believe your daughters are in the
plot."

"The minxes! I don't doubt it. Poor Cousin Ann! She's never done
anybody any harm in her life," and Big Josh's round, moon-like face
expressed as much sorrow as it was capable of.

"No--never any harm--but I reckon Cousin Ann hasn't done much good in
her time. When you come right down to it, chronic visiting is a poor
way to spend your time, unless you are a powerful good visitor, which
Cousin Ann isn't. She got started wrong and never has got put on the
right road. I don't see what we are going to do about it. Bob Bucknor
is having more than his share, but I can't do a thing with my wife.
You see, she made her own living before she married me and she's got
no use for what she calls the unproductive consumer. She says that's
what Cousin Ann is. Mrs. Bob is getting worn out with it, too,
because her girls are grown now and they are kicking at having the
poor old lady come down on them on all occasions. It looks as though
we'd have to call a meeting of the family and thresh the thing out."

Little Josh, who had acquired the diminutive title merely because he
had been born two years later than his cousin, Big Josh, showed
despondency in every line of his six-feet-two.

"The women will all be banded against her and want to send her to a
home, but we can't stand for that," said Big Josh. "The women'll have
to get it into their heads that they can't boss the whole shooting
match. Well, come on and let's speak to our little cousin. Oh, you
needn't worry. I'm going to be as careful as possible and never say a
word I shouldn't. I can't take her into the family unless all the
others do. When we have the family meeting about Cousin Ann we might
bring up this business of Miss Judith Buck