less'n five years, while this old friend had served its twenty-odd and
now is good for as many more with careful honing. That's it, men of my
time were like good blades what swing along steady and even, high over
rocks and low over good ground; but they don't count in these days of
the four-horse-power high-drive, cut-bind-and-deliver machines men
work right on through God's gauges of sun-up and down. But maybe in
glory come He'll walk with us in the cool of the evening while they'll
be put to measuring the jasper walls with a golden reed just to keep
themselves busy and contented. How's the resurrection in the wardrobes
and chests of drawers coming on?" And a real smile made its way into
Uncle Tucker's eyes as he inquired into the progress of the packing up
of the sisters, from which he had fled a couple hours ago.

"They are still taking things out, talking them over and putting them
right back in the same place," answered Rose Mary with a faint echo of
his smile that tried to come to the surface bravely but had a
struggle. "We will have to try and move the furniture with it all
packed away as it is. It is just across the Road and I know everybody
will want to help me disturb their things as little as possible. Oh,
Uncle Tucker, it's almost worth the--the pain to see everybody
planning and working for us as they are doing. Friends are like those
tall pink hollyhocks that go along and bloom single on a stalk until
something happens to make them all flower out double like peonies. And
that reminds me, Aunt Viney says be sure and save some of the dry
jack-bean seed from last year you had out here in the seed press
for--"

"Say, Rose Mamie, say, what you think we found up on top of Mr.
Crabtree's bedpost what Mis' Rucker were a-sweeping down with a
broom?" and the General's face fairly beamed with excitement as he