te. tered in topped tables, tant piece of furniture in t in reasures and curios. Miss Amelia s to tion -- one er oak, ttle velvet box imes ake out t box and stand by tones in t ture of fascination, dubious respect, and fear. tones of Miss Amelia aken from or in C bad been a terrible experience, from t minute to t, and all s out of it tle stones; so set great store by t to a mig tay  as ornaments in a co  so tion, to   her face was always saddened and perplexed.

    quot;Amelia,  signify?quot; Cousin Lymon asked her.

    quot;s just an acorn,quot; s;Just an acorn I picked up on ternoon Big Papa died.quot;

    quot;; Cousin Lymon insisted.

    quot;I mean its just an acorn I spied on t day. I picked it up and put it in my pocket. But I dont know w;

    quot; a peculiar reason to keep it,quot; Cousin Lymon said.

    talks of Miss Amelia and Cousin Lymon in tairs, usually in t fe  letting ongue run  t o pop into ain topics of conversation, ook pleasure. All ts  in common -- terminable. So contemplate problems alking on any subject erer. to any conversation oget. Miss Amelia al to ties of tter, going on endlessly in a loful voice and getting no o pick up, magpie fasail ,  least concrete and bearing on some practical facet close at e subjects of Miss Amelia ars, t treatment for cancer, and so forterminable subject wo her.

    quot;; so Lymon. quot;t. Id go to bed just as turned on and sleep --  stirring, Little,quot; er airs from tcove ;Fried grits,quot; ;e meat and gravy. ; And Id run doairs and dress by t stove o till or maybe --quot;

    quot;ts ;Fried too quick so t ted.quot;

    quot;And ion retc before ter or summer te, as Lymon ured.  in a lo quite toucorso usually  or tioned o anyone else except Cousin Lymon.

    t  delicate and vital matters.  t t sain barrels of  of curios. ook money from ter, ed t made inside s.  everyt and find  -- so t no close at o give  of  s  Cousin Lymon to sen-day marriage. Marvin Macy  t  any time, discussed bethem.

    So let to a Saturday evening six years after time o to  and to ed an inc and ttle c en, sed, and ful. t noon. People in treet sat resting on teps and tto fans. At Miss Amelias t t of tticed s turning ten  and ice and removed to lick a bit and see c morning Miss Amelia  a notice on t porcy Cents tonite. t finis tables une.

    In a corner near tting at a table  easily to  eye antly in a nervous tic, as it  to do ed. o t, and  to o  at Miss Amelias t morning to be doctored.

    Miss Amelia came out from s. Stended to a feails in tcered t in general all  over to table by urned t straddling ted to pass time of day and  yet ready for tle of Kroup Kure in t of  ingredient. Miss Amelia uncorked ttle and put it to turned to  eye, she asked:

    quot; ails you?quot;

    of saying somet, but, after a long look into t speak.

    So Miss Amelia returned to ient. Only table top. ly open.  to Miss Amelia so t it could be opened. But Miss Amelia used a special met like to see t, struggling, and terrified. So s t doses of to table o side and sometimes as tle  grunt.

    tir in trutted into t, and er of topped s and looked stern of tional material at  nig misco-do, and  saying a  eac  o  t, and  spoken one o eac at t bet Calvert  for t matter since o toe business of everybody, and trespassed every   responsible for t popularity of to tension, because  telling o y of commotion or calamity ao t burst of talking and a drawing of corks.

    Lymon umpy MacPting ;I o Rotten Lake today to fis; ;And on tepped over  first to be a big fallen tree. But tepped over I felt sometir and I taken traddling tor long as from t door to tc;

    ttered on. Everyone looked at ime to time, and some kept track of tering and ot. times onigrue.  up in te afternoon in order to turn t ood ting t it was enougo she ears.

    Miss Amelia cs and urned to one side. tness about ly to o t t of a t, as to try to o account for all es, and tric fans in t stir of coolness in the air.

    quot;ttle youngun is asleep,quot; said henry Macy finally.

    Miss Amelia looked do tient beside ter in ing on table edge and a trickle of spit or Kroup Kure e closed, and a little family of gnats ered peacefully in t  roug tient did not aed table, being careful not to touc of  into ter he office door.

    Cousin Lymon  evening. t muce of t tomers in t at table   brigy road, and trees ionless: toes  far doo t tune art and no finises ood leaning against ter of ty road as t someone would come along.