o mortal certain," she said, "that I don't open up
on him and take the first word. I think likely I been defrauded out of
more that really counts in this world, than he has. Ain't that little
roly-poly of Hannah's too sweet? Seems like I'll hardly quit feeling
her little sticky hands and her little hot mouth on my face when I die;
and as she went out she whispered in my ear: 'Do it again, Grandma,
Oh, please do it again!' an it's more'n likely I'll not get the chance,
no matter how willing I am. Kate, I am going to leave you what of my
money is left--I haven't spent so much--and while you live here, I wish
each year you would have this same kind of a party and pay for it out
of that money, and call it 'Grandmother's Party.' Will you?"

"I surely will," said Kate. "And hadn't I better have ALL of them, and
put some little thing from you on the tree for them? You know how Hiram
always was wild for cuff buttons, and Mary could talk by the hour about
a handkerchief with lace on it, and Andrew never yet has got that copy
of 'Aesop's Fables,' he always wanted. Shall I?"

"Yes," said Mrs. Bates. "Oh, yes, and when you do it, Katie, if they
don't chain me pretty close in on the other side, I think likely I'll
be sticking around as near as I can get to you."

Kate slipped a hot brick rolled in flannel to the cold old feet, and
turning out the light she sat beside the bed and stroked the tired head
until easy breathing told her that her mother was sound asleep. Then
she went back to the fireplace and sitting in the red glow she told
Adam, 3d, PART of what her mother had said. Long after he was gone, she
sat gazing into the slowly graying coals, her mind busy with what she
had NOT told.

That spring was difficult for Kate. Day after day she saw her mother
growing older, feebler, and frailer. And as the body failed, up flamed
the wings of the spirit, carrying her on and on, each day keeping her
alive, when Kate did not see how it could be done. With all the force
she could gather, each day Mrs. Bates struggled to keep going, denied
that she felt badly, drove herself to try to help about the house and
garden. Kate warned the remainder of the family what they might expect
at any hour; but when they began coming in oftener, bringing little
gifts and being unusually kind, Mrs. Bates endured a few of the visits
in silence, then she turned to Kate and said after her latest callers:
"I wonder what in the name of all posse