elieve you told me--"

"My birthday--sixty-seven--the years do run up when once you begin to
count 'em! But about the baskets--thinks I to myself, 'The grocer's
man left 'em at the wrong place,' but he must have druv away fast,
there wasn't a soul in sight, and then I comes in for my specs and
there was my name writ in black and white 'Mrs. Keturah Kump, with best
wishes for her birthday!' I nearly wilted! I got so narvous-like that
I could hardly lift 'em! And who was livin' to care for me or my
birthday? All my folks dead--all but the young ones. They live out
west and don't bother their heads about me. But about the
baskets--you'd orter see what they held--a good share of
everything--I'll show you my cupboard stocked, and lots of things down
cellar--and there, I'd been worryin' and doubtin', not bein' able to
work for so long. I don't mind tellin' you, Mis' Lee, now that things
is changed for the best, that I was about at the end of my string.
Sugar and tea about out and not enough flour to last a day longer! I
unpacked the baskets and stood and looked at the things--butter and
eggs and bread and cake and blackberry jam, the only spread I ever et,
and I put 'em away as if in a dream, leavin' out a snack to make
breakfast, though I was so excited I couldn't swallow a bite!

"I put on a drawin' of tea, and puttered about settin' the table, when
all at once I spied a little passel that I had set aside when I brought
the baskets in. So I opened it--and what do you think! I sat right
down by the table and cried and cried! It seemed to me that the other
things might be for any old, worn-out woman, but this was just for me,
and it went straight to my heart! The loveliest blue box, the inside
fixed with lace just like the valentines that poor David sent me when
he came courtin', and it was filled with candy, the loveliest you ever
saw!--with real cherries and vi'lets fixed up, lookin' too good to eat!
Just think--for me, a poor old woman that most people would think it
all wasted on! Something beautiful came over the day, I felt young
again, and vigorous and proud and happy all at once, just like I used
to feel long years ago when I'd first see the Johnny-jump-ups in the
spring, way down in the medder near the creek!"

Mrs. Kump rose suddenly and went to the big bureau, wiping her glasses
as she went. Coming back, she proudly displayed Alene's box.

"Take some, child," she said to Nettie, "and you too, Mis'