"May I ask the cause of all this excitement?" asked the stranger in the
little village.
"Certainly," replied the countryman. "We're celebrating the birthday of
the oldest inhabitant sir. She's a hundred and one to-day."
"Indeed! And may I ask who is that little man, with the dreadfully sad
countenance, walking by the old lady's side?"
"Oh, that's the old lady's son-in-law, sir. He's been keeping up the
payments on her life-insurance for the last thirty years!"