IT  WAS  WILLIAM JOHNSON'S BIRTHDAY.  IT WASN'T  AS IF HE WERE STILL A  'YOUNGSTER',  SO HE WASN'T ALL THAT EXCITED ABOUT IT TODAY.  HE KNEW THAT HIS WIFE MILLIE HAD BAKED HIM A CAKE THE NIGHT  BEFORE,  AND AS  ALWAYS, SHE HAD HIDDEN IT AWAY IN THE PANTRY.  MILLIE ALWAYS  THOUGHT SHE WAS  REALLY SURPRISING HIM EACH YEAR, WHEN ON THE  MORNING OF HIS BIRTHDAYS, THE CAKE WOULD SUD- DENLY APPEAR ON THE KITCHEN TABLE.      SHE ALWAYS GOT MORE EXCITED ABOUT THAT  THAN HE DID.  BUT HE'D GIVE HER A HUG AND  KISS AND ACT SURPRISED,  JUST LIKE HE ALWAYS DID.     IT WAS SUNDAY AND ALMOST TIME TO WAKE HER SO SHE COULD GET READY FOR CHURCH.  THEY ALWAYS LEFT A LITTLE EARLY ON SUNDAY MORNINGS BECAUSE  THEY'D BE STOPPING OFF AT THEIR NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE.  THEY WOULD BE DROPPING OFF THE SACK OF FOOD THAT  MILLIE ALWAYS PREPARED THE NIGHT  BEFORE.  THE FOOD  WAS FOR  MR. PALMER, OR  'OLD JOSH',  AS  WILLIAM  ALWAYS CALLED HIM.       OLD JOSH HAD TO BE AT LEAST EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS OLD.  HE HAD BEEN THEIR NEIGHBOR GOING ON TWENTY YEARS NOW.  AS USUAL, THEY'D HAVE TO BE  CAREFUL NOT TO LET OLD JOSH SEE THEM DRIVING UP  IN THEIR PICK-UP TRUCK AND SITTIN'  THE SACK OF FOOD  DOWN ON HIS BACK PORCH.  OLD JOSH LIVED ALONE, AND  WILLIAM HAD BEEN TOLD THAT HIS WIFE JANIE HAD DIED  ABOUT TWENTY YEARS AGO.  HE'D HEARD THAT OLD JOSH  AND JANIE HAD HAD ONLY TWO CHILDREN.   GOODNESS  KNOWS, THE LITTLE SHACK JOSH LIVED IN, WHICH SAT  SQUARE IN THE MIDDLE OF HIS THREE ACRES WAS IN  DESPERATE NEED OF REPAIRS.  IN FACT, IT LOOKED AS IF  IT MIGHT FALL DOWN AT ANY MOMENT FROM DECAY  AND  ROT.   ONE THING FOR SURE THOUGH-OLD JOSH NEVER  MISSED A SUNDAY AT CHURCH.   EXCEPT OF COURSE,  THOSE THREE SUNDAY'S IN A ROW ONE YEAR.  THAT WAS  ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO WHEN HE'D HAD A MILD STROKE.   BUT IN NO TIME AT ALL, HE'D FULLY RECOVERED.  IN  FACT, COME TO THINK OF IT, IT HAD SEEMED RATHER LIKE  A MIRACLE THE WAY OLD JOSH HAD RECOVERED SO QUICKLY.       JOSH ALWAYS WALKED TO CHURCH, AND IT WAS  A GOOD MILE AND BACK, FROM WHERE HE LIVED, TOO.  WILLIAM HAD BEEN TOLD QUITE A BIT ABOUT OLD JOSH, BY MR. TALBERT.  MR. TALBERT HAD LIVED IN THEIR  SMALL TOWN HIS WHOLE LIFE.  HE WAS JUST A FEW YEARS  YOUNGER THAN OLD JOSH.  ONE THING IN PARTICULAR  THAT WILLIAM HAD BEEN TOLD ABOUT OLD JOSH WAS THAT BEFORE HIS WIFE JANIE HAD DIED, THE TWO OF THEM  WOULD SHOW UP ONCE A WEEK AT THE OLD ORPHANAGE,  WHICH WAS LOCATED JUST OUTSIDE OF TOWN.  MR. TALBERT  SAID THAT ALMOST EVERY SATURDAY, JOSH AND HIS WIFE  WOULD DONATE THEIR TIME AND EFFORTS IN KEEPING THE  ORPHANAGE CLEANED, REPAIRED, AND FIXED UP NICE.  JANIE WOULD EVEN WASH THE BED-SHEETS.  WILLIAM HAD  BEEN TOLD THAT THEY NEVER WOULD TAKE ANY PAYMENT  FOR THE HELP THEY GAVE, EITHER.  HE KNEW THE STORY  ABOUT THAT ORPHANAGE.      THE OLD BUILDING ITSELF WAS ALWAYS IN DIRE NEED  OF REPAIRS, AND HAD ALMOST BEEN SHUT DOWN MORE  THAN A FEW TIMES BECAUSE OF LACK OF FUNDS.  THERE  NEVER SEEMED TO BE ENOUGH STAFF WORKERS TO KEEP  THE PLACE CLEAN AND WELL KEPT.  BUT WITH THE HELP OF  OLD JOSH AND HIS WIFE JANIE, AND A FEW OTHER LOCALS,  THEY'D SOMEHOW MANAGED TO KEEP THE PLACE RUNNING  FOR LONGER THAN ANYONE HAD EXPECTED.        AFTER JANIE DIED, THEY HAD MANAGED TO KEEP IT  RUNNING FOR ANOTHER TEN YEARS.   ALTHOUGH, THERE  HAD NEVER BEEN VERY MANY CHILDREN AT ONE TIME, WHO  HAD LIVED THERE.   SOME OF THOSE CHILDREN HADN'T BEEN  ORPHANS FROM BIRTH, BUT WERE TROUBLED CHILDREN-  EITHER HAVING COME FROM ABUSIVE HOMES, OR WERE   RUN-AWAYS.  SOME HAVING BEEN IN A FEW MINOR SCRAPES  WITH THE LAW, AND THEIR PARENTS HAD NO LONGER WANTED THEM.           WILLIAM HAD ALSO BEEN TOLD THAT OLD JOSH HAD  EARNED A PURPLE HEART MEDAL WHILE SERVING IN  WORLD WAR TWO.  WILLIAM ALSO KNEW THAT OLD JOSH  AND HIS WIFE USED TO TAKE A BIG PORTION OF THE  VEGETABLES FROM THEIR OWN GARDEN OVER TO THE  ORPHANAGE ONCE A WEEK.  HE AND JANIE ALSO USED  TO TAKE FOOD OVER TO SEVERAL OF THE NEEDY FAMILIES  IN THEIR SMALL COMMUNITY.          AS FAR AS WILLIAM KNEW, NO ONE EVER WENT TO VISIT  OLD JOSH.  HE FIGURED HE KNEW WHY, TOO.   SOME OF  THE PEOPLE IN THEIR SMALL TOWN LOOKED DOWN ON  HIM.  EVERYBODY KNEW HE WAS DIRT POOR AND WORE  OLD RAGGED CLOTHES TO CHURCH EVERY SUNDAY.  HE  WORE HIS OLD TORN AND FADED OVER-ALLS AND PLOW- BOOTS.  WILLIAM WAS ASHAMED OF SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN HIS COMMUNITY FOR TAKING THAT ATTITUDE, TOO.  THEY HAD NO RIGHT TO LOOK DOWN ON OLD JOSH FOR  THAT REASON.  IT WAS TRUE THAT EVERYONE PRETTY  MUCH JUST IGNORED OLD JOSH, AS IF HE DIDN'T EXIST.  THAT JUST DIDN'T SEEM RIGHT, OR CHRISTIAN-LIKE TO  WILLIAM.  THAT'S WHY HE HAD ALWAYS MADE SURE TO  VISIT OLD JOSH AT LEAST TWICE A WEEK, AND SOMETIMES  MORE OFTEN THAT THAT, JUST TO SEE HOW HE WAS DOING  AND TO GIVE HIM SOME COMPANY.   BESIDES, WILLIAM  ENJOYED HIS VISITS WITH HIM.  HE ENJOYED THE  TALKS THEY HAD.     JOSH HAD GOTTEN TOO OLD TO TAKE CARE OF HIS BIG  VEGETABLE GARDEN ALL BY HIMSELF.  ARTHRITIS, ALONG  WITH OLD AGE, HAD MADE THAT IMPOSSIBLE, SO HIS  GARDEN HAD JUST GONE TO ROT AND HAD WITHERED  AWAY.   AFTER JANIE DIED, HE'D KEPT PRETTY MUCH TO  HIMSELF ALL THE TIME.  MR. TALBERT SAID THAT THERE'D  BEEN SOME STORIES GOING AROUND TOWN SOME YEARS  BACK ABOUT OLD JOSH'S TWO CHILDREN- A SON AND A  DAUGHTER.  WILLIAM HAD BEEN TOLD  SOMETHING ABOUT  JOSH'S SON HAVING BEEN ACCIDENTLY SHOT AND KILLED  IN A HUNTING ACCIDENT AT THE YOUNG AGE OF TWENTY- FIVE.  THE STORY HE'D HEARD ABOUT OLD JOSH'S  DAUGHTER WAS THAT SHE HAD ELOPED ONE NIGHT WITH  A TRAVELING SALESMAN WHEN SHE WAS JUST EIGHTEEN.  BUT THEN SHE AND HER 'INTENDED'  HAD BOTH BEEN  KILLED IN A CAR ACCIDENT JUST THIRTY-MILES OUTSIDE  OF  TOWN, THE SAME NIGHT.        WILLIAM AND HIS WIFE FELT SORRY FOR OLD JOSH.  ONLY A FEW PEOPLE IN CHURCH EVER SEEMED TO TRY  TO TALK TO HIM OR TRY TO GET TO KNOW HIM, BESIDES  HE AND MILLIE AND THEIR PASTOR, THAT IS.  "AND  THAT JUST ISN'T RIGHT",  WILLIAM KEPT THINKING TO  HIMSELF.       WELL, SO WHAT IF JOSH COULDN'T AFFORD NICE NEW  CLOTHES TO WEAR TO  CHURCH...  THAT WAS NO REASON  FOR PEOPLE TO GO OUT OF THEIR WAY TO AVOID HIM.        THERE WAS NO DOUBT IN WILLIAM'S MIND THAT OLD  JOSH LOVED THE LORD.   MANY A TIME HE'D SEEN HIM SITTING ON HIS FRONT PORCH IN HIS ROCKING CHAIR,  WITH HIS BIBLE IN HIS LAP.  THE OLD MAN WALKED TO  CHURCH AND BACK EVERY SUNDAY.  WILLIAM HAD HAD  MORE THAN ONE COVERSATION WITH OLD JOSH ABOUT  THE LORD.   OLD JOSH LOVED TO TALK ABOUT THE LORD  AND HE HAD ONE OF THE SWEETEST TESTIMONIES THAT  WILLIAM HAD EVER HEARD.  HE KNEW OLD JOSH LOVED HIS LORD AND SAVIOUR.  THERE HAD NEVER BEEN A DOUBT IN WILLIAM'S MIND ABOUT THAT.   HE AND JOSH HAD HAD  MANY A GOOD TALK, AND DURING ONE OF THOSE TALKS,  JOSH HAD SHARED WITH HIM HIS TESTIMONY.   HE'D TOLD  HIM ABOUT WHEN HE'D GOTTEN SAVED BY REPENTING OF HIS SINS AND INVITING JESUS CHRIST INTO HIS HEART.  HE'D TOLD HIM HOW JESUS HAD CHANGED HIS HEART  AND LIFE MANY YEARS AGO.   WILLIAM HAD ALSO GIVEN  HIM HIS TESTIMONY ABOUT WHEN HE'D GOTTEN SAVED.  THEY BOTH LOVED TO READ THEIR KING JAMES BIBLE  EVERY DAY.     WILLIAM COULDN'T HELP BUT SMILE AS HE  REMEMBERED HOW STUBBORN OLD JOSH COULD BE  SOMETIMES .  HE'D NEVER LIKED ACCEPTING HELP FROM  ANYBODY.  HE NEVER WOULD ACCEPT A RIDE TO CHURCH  ON SUNDAY MORNINGS FROM HIM AND MILLIE.  THEY HAD  OFFERED MANY TIMES IN THE PAST, BUT THEY'D FINALLY  HAD TO JUST GIVE UP ASKING.  OLD JOSH JUST WASN'T  GOING TO CHANGE HIS MIND AND ACCEPT HELP WHEN  IT WAS OFFERED.          SPEAKING OF OLD JOSH'S STUBBORNESS, THAT'S WHY  EVERY SUNDAY MORNING WILLIAM WOULD PARK HIS  TRUCK A WAYS FROM OLD JOSH'S HOUSE AND THEN  SNEAK AROUND TO THE BACK AND QUIETLY PUT THE  SACK OF FOOD DOWN ON HIS BACK PORCH.   MILLIE  ALWAYS MADE SURE TO PACK SOME JARS OF HER  HOME-CANNED PEACHES.    BUT WILLIAM DIDN'T KNOW HOW MUCH LONGER  SHE'D BE SHARING HER CANNED PEACHES WITH HIM  BECAUSE THEIR PEACH TREE WAS JUST ABOUT DEAD.  MILLIE MIGHT NOT BE PUTTING UP ANY MORE OF HER  DELICIOUS PEACHES.          EVERYBODY LOVED MILLIES CANNED PEACHES.  BUT  WILLIAM KNEW OLD JOSH DIDN'T LIKE TAKING CHARITY  FROM ANYBODY.  HE DID LIKE THE QUIET AND HUMBLE  WAY THE OLD MAN HAD ABOUT HIM.  YES, HE REALLY  LIKED THAT OLD MAN AND HAD A LOT OF RESPECT  FOR HIM.   IT WOULD BE TRUE TO SAY THAT NOTHING EVER  HAPPENED IN THEIR SMALL TOWN THAT DIDN'T  GET FOUND OUT ABOUT, OR TALKED ABOUT.      THERE WASN'T HARDLY ONE CONVERSATION THAT TOOK PLACE WHICH DIDN'T GET REPEATED, EITHER.  WILLIAM REMEMBERED THE TIME WHEN DANNY BARNES WHO OWNS AND RUNS THE ONLY BARBER SHOP IN TOWN, ACCIDENTLY-ON-PURPOSE SHAVED OFF  ALL OF BILLY McCAULDIE'S THICK HEAD OF HAIR ONE  DAY. HE'D NEVER GET BILLY BACK IN HIS BARBER CHAIR  AGAIN, THAT'S FOR SURE!   EVERYBODY KNEW WHY  DANNY HAD DONE  IT, TOO.   IT WAS BECAUSE BILLY  HAD SPREAD THE RUMOUR ALL OVER TOWN THAT DANNY  BARNES HAD VOTED FOR A DEMOCRAT IN THAT YEAR'S  ELECTION.     BILLY McCAULDIE HAD WORN THE MOST AWFUL LOOKING  WIG ON HIS HEAD FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS UNTIL  HIS HAIR GREW BACK OUT.  HIS NEW NAME AROUND TOWN  AFTER HIS  'HEAD SHAVING'  INCIDENT HAD BEEN  "BILLIE-BALDIE-McCAULDIE".  WELL, THAT REALLY DIDN'T  HELP HIM ANY EITHER- HIM BEING A BACHELOR AND ALL.  NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT HE'D BEEN TRYING TO  COURT AND WIN THE HEART OF THE VERY DAUGHTER OF  THE BARBER- DANNY BARNES!      THEN THERE WAS THAT AWFUL INCIDENT WITH JOHNNY GRUMBLES, (WHO'S NAME SUITED HIM  PERFECTLY BECAUSE OF HIS MOANING, GROANING AND COMPLAINING ALL THE TIME.  (MOSTLY ABOUT HIS WIFE) JOHNNY GOT CAUGHT POURING SALT IN MRS. HUCKLEBEE'S CHERRY COBBLER AT THE TOWN FAIR LAST YEAR.   MRS. HUCKLEBEE ALWAYS WON THE BLUE-RIBBON FOR THE BEST HOME-MADE COBBLER.  BUT  POOR OLD BEAT-DOWN JOHNNY, HE ALWAYS HAD TO  LISTEN TO HIS WIFE CARRYING ON EVERY TIME SHE  LOST THE CONTEST TO MRS. HUCKLEBEE.   WHEN SHE  GOT REAL SOUR THAT WAY,  SHE'D START UP HAVING  HER  'SPELLS'  AGAIN.  HER SPELLS  USUALLY LASTED  A GOOD TWO WEEKS, TOO.  BUT THE WORSE PART IS  THAT SHE WOULDN'T LET JOHNNY GO FISHING  'TIL  HER NERVES HAD CALMED DOWN AGAIN.        I GUESS POOR JOHNNY JUST DECIDED THAT YEAR THAT HIS WIFE WAS GOING TO WIN THE 'BEST COBBLER' CONTEST!   THAT WAY, HE'D DO A LOT  LESS SUFFERING, TOO.   SO WHAT HAPPENED, IS THAT  JUST BEFORE THE JUDGES HAD GATHERED AROUND THE TABLE TO START THE  'TASTING'  AND  'JUDGING',  JOHNNY SNUCK OVER WITH A CONTAINER OF SALT AND  DOCTORED UP MRS. HUCKLEBEE'S CHERRY COBBLER.      WHAT HE DIDN'T KNOW WAS THAT MRS. HUCKLEBEE'S  NINE-YEAR OLD GRANDSON WAS HIDING UNDERNEATH  THE TABLE, CONCEALED BY THE LONG TABLE-CLOTH  WHICH HUNG DOWN.  THE BOY HAD HIDDEN THERE  BECAUSE HE HAD A WHIPPING  COMING FROM HIS  DADDY, FOR PUTTING A BULL-FROG DOWN HIS LITTLE  SISTER'S SHIRT EARLIER THAT MORNING.    IT WAS JUST PLAIN BAD LUCK WHEN THAT LITTLE BOY CAUGHT JOHNNY POURING THE SALT INTO HIS  GRANDMA'S  CHERRY COBBLER.  THERE'S NOT A CHILD IN TOWN THAT HAS A BIGGER OR LOUDER MOUTH THAN THAT NINE YEAR OLD FRECKLED FACED DARREL  HUCKLEBEE.        WHEN JOHNNY GOT CAUGHT AND FOUND OUT,  HIS WIFE DIDN'T LET HIM GO FISHING FOR SIX WHOLE MONTHS!   BUT THE FUNNIEST TO-DO THAT EVER HAPPENED IN  THEIR SMALL TOWN, WAS THE TIME WHEN K.T. WILEY  SNUCK OVER TO DAVID DOOLITTLE'S HOUSE IN THE  MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND PULLED ALL OF HIS WATER- MELONS UP, RIGHT OUT OF HIS GARDEN.  THEN HE  SMASHED ALL THE WATERMELONS UP INTO LITTLE  PIECES AND THREW THEM DOWN INTO DOOLITTLE'S  WATER WELL.  BEFORE HE LEFT THE SCENE OF THE  CRIME, HE PINNED A NOTE TO DOOLITTLE'S FRONT  DOOR TELLING HIM THAT HE HOPED HE CHOKED ON  EVERY SEED!   I GUESS THEY'D HAD SOME KIND OF  FALLING OUT OR SOMETHING.  NOBODY EVER DID  FIGURE THAT ONE OUT, FOR SURE.     ON THE WAY TO CHURCH THAT MORNING, AS USUAL,  WILLIAM PARKED HIS TRUCK A WAYS FROM OLD JOSH'S  HOUSE.  HE THEN QUIETLY SNUCK AROUND TO THE BACK  AND PUT THE SACK OF FOOD DOWN ON HIS BACK PORCH.  THEN AFTER LUNCH THAT SAME DAY, WILLIAM DECIDED  TO PAY OLD JOSH A VISIT.        WHEN HE PULLED UP IN FRONT OF OLD JOSH'S HOUSE, WILLIAM SAW HIM SITTING OUT ON HIS FRONT  PORCH IN HIS ROCKING CHAIR.  HE WALKED UP TO THE  PORCH AND GREETED THE OLD MAN,  "HELLO THERE".  OLD JOSH ANSWERED BACK,  "WHY, HOWDY MR.  JOHNSON, WON'T YOU SIT FOR A SPELL?"      AS WILLIAM SAT DOWN ON THE PORCH, HE NOTICED  THAT JOSH HAD HIS BIBLE IN HIS LAP AGAIN AND HAD  BEEN READING.  HE ALSO  NOTICED THE JAR OF PEACHES  SITTIN' REAL CLOSE TO JOSH'S ROCKER.  NEXT TO THE  FULL JAR, SAT AN EMPTY JAR, WHICH STILL HAD A BIG  SPOON IN IT.  WILLIAM WAS GLAD HE WAS ENJOYING  MILLIE'S CANNED PEACHES.  THAT MADE HIM FEEL  GOOD,  JUST KNOWING THAT OLD JOSH LIKED THEM AND WAS  EATING THEM.     ONE THING FOR SURE, WILLIAM WAS THINKING TO  HIMSELF AT THAT MOMENT,  'HE COULD NEVER LET OLD JOSH KNOW THAT IT WAS HIM AND MILLIE WHO  WERE LEAVING THE SACK OF FOOD ON HIS BACK PORCH EACH WEEK.  OLD JOSH WOULDN'T LIKE  THAT.  HE FIGURED OLD JOSH WOULD BE MAD AT  HIM IF HE KNEW WHO IT WAS THAT WAS BRINGING HIM ALL THAT EXTRA FOOD.     LATER ON AS HE WAS GETTING READY TO LEAVE AND  OLD JOSH STOOD UP AND REACHED OUT TO SHAKE HIS  HAND, WILLIAM NOTICED THAT THE OLD MAN'S HANDS  WAS SHAKING REAL BAD.   HE COULD ALSO SEE WHAT  THE ARTHRITIS HAD DONE TO OLD JOSH'S FINGERS.  THEY WERE ALL BENT AND CRIPPLED UP.  "IF YOU EVER  NEED ANYTHING NOW YOU BE SURE AND LET ME KNOW,  MR. PALMER."   OLD JOSH JUST SMILED AND REPLIED, "MR. JOHNSON, YOU'RE A GOOD MAN.  I  RECKON  THOUGH I GOT JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING I NEED.  BUT  I WON'T FORGET YOUR ASKING ME, AND I THANK YOU  KINDLY."       THAT EVENING, WHEN WILLIAM AND MILLIE WERE  GETTING READY FOR BED, WILLIAM'S MIND WAS ON OLD  JOSH.  HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT HIM.  HE HADN'T  LOOKED SO GOOD THAT MORNING.  IT HADN'T BEEN  JUST THE WAY OLD HAD SEEMED UNUSUALLY TIRED,  OR THAT HE'D LOOKED A LITTLE PALE.  WILLIAM JUST  HAD A BAD FEELING AND HE WASN'T EXACTLY SURE  WHY.     TWO DAYS LATER, WILLIAM DROVE INTO TOWN TO BUY SOME CHICKEN FEED.  WHILE IN MR. TALBERT'S  STORE, HE HEARD THE BAD NEWS.   OLD JOSH HAD DIED  IN HIS SLEEP LAST NIGHT.  THE ONLY REASON ANYONE  HAD EVEN FOUND OUT ABOUT IT SO SOON, IS BECAUSE  MR. TALBERT HAD DRIVEN OUT TO JOSH'S PLACE EARLY  THAT MORNING TO RETURN THE FOOD STAMP COUPON  BOOK THAT JOSH HAD LEFT LYING ON HIS STORE COUNTER A FEW DAYS AGO. MR. TALBERT SAID THAT HE  HAD KNOCKED ON OLD JOSH'S FRONT DOOR A FEW TIMES,  AND WHEN JOSH HADN'T ANSWERED, HE'D JUST WALKED  ON IN.  THAT'S WHEN HE FOUND OLD JOSH LYING IN HIS  BED...COLD AND NOT BREATHING.       HEARING THIS NEWS REALLY UPSET WILLIAM.  HE KNEW NOW WHY HE'D HAD THAT BAD FEELING LAST NIGHT AFTER VISITING WITH OLD JOSH.  WELL, THE GOOD LORD HAD TAKEN HIM ON HOME TO HEAVEN.  OLD JOSH HAD AT LAST GONE TO BE WITH HIS LORD AND SAVIOUR.      THE NEXT FEW WEEKS SEEMED TO DRAG SLOWLY BY AND WITHOUT INCIDENT.  THEN ON ONE HOT AND  MUGGY THURSDAY MORNING, WILLIAM GOT A PHONE  CALL FROM MR. TALBERT DOWN AT THE STORE.  HE TOLD  WILLIAM THAT HE'D BEEN OUT AT  OLD  JOSH'S HOUSE  AND HAD PACKED UP A FEW OF HIS THINGS TO DONATE TO  GOODWILL.  HE TOLD WILLIAM HE'D BE COMING BY IN  JUST A LITTLE WHILE.  SAID HE HAD SOMETHING HE  WANTED TO GIVE TO HIM.  WILLIAM TOLD HIM THAT'D  BE JUST FINE; MILLIE HAD JUST BAKED A FRESH PEACH  PIE AND THAT HE WAS 'MORE THAN WELCOME  TO COME ON BY'.        ABOUT AN HOUR OR SO LATER, MR. TALBERT WAS  KNOCKING ON HIS FRONT DOOR.  WILLIAM INVITED HIM  IN AND ASKED IF HE'D LIKE A CUP OF COFFEE OR  A  GLASS  OF ICED TEA.  MR. TALBERT ACCEPTED A COLD GLASS OF  ICED TEA AND THEN THEY SAT DOWN AT THE KITCHEN  TABLE.   MR. TALBERT DIDN'T WASTED ANY TIME.   HE  REACHED INTO HIS BACK POCKET AND PULLED OUT A  WHITE ENVELOPE AND HANDED IT TO WILLIAM.  IT WAS  A LETTER FROM OLD JOSH.     "I FOUND THIS LYING ON JOSH'S  KITCHEN TABLE,  WILLIAM." "I  SAW YOUR NAME ON THE FRONT OF THE  ENVELOPE SO  I THOUGHT  I'D BRING IT ON OVER TO  YOU."     "WHY, THANK YOU MR. TALBERT,  I  SURE APPRECIATE THAT".   WILLIAM LOOKED AT THE FRONT OF THE  ENVELOPE.  'WILLIAM JOHNSON' WAS ALL THAT WAS  WRITTEN ON THE ENVELOPE.  THE BACK WAS SEALED  WITH SCOTCH TAPE. WILLIAM DECIDED THAT HE'D WAIT  UNTIL LATER TO OPEN IT.   HE AND MILLIE VISITED WITH MR. TALBERT FOR A LITTLE  WHILE UNTIL HE SAID HE'D BETTER BE GETTING BACK TO  THE STORE.  WILLIAM WALKED OUTSIDE WITH HIM, OUT  TO HIS TRUCK.  BUT NOT BEFORE MILLIE GAVE HIM SOME OF HER PIE TO TAKE HOME WITH HIM.   LATER THAT EVENING AS MILLIE WAS FINISHING UP WASHING THE SUPPER DISHES, WILLIAM OPENED THE  ENVELOPE WHICH HAD HIS NAME WRITTEN ON THE  FRONT .  HE CALLED TO MILLIE,   "HON, CAN YOU COME  HERE FOR JUST A MINUTE?"   "I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO SIT  HERE NEXT TO ME WHILE I READ THIS LETTER."   MILLIE  LOOKED AT THE LETTER THAT WILLIAM NOW HELD IN  HIS HAND.  "IS THAT WHAT MR. TALBERT BROUGHT YOU  TODAY FROM OLD JOSH'S  HOUSE?"    "YEA, IT'S A LETTER TO ME FROM OLD JOSH."  WILLIAM BEGAN READING THE LETTER ALOUD......     " DEAR  WILLIAM, I  RECKON'  IF YOU'RE READIN'  THIS LETTER THEN  I'VE GONE ON HOME TO BE WITH THE LORD.  THERE  ARE SOME THINGS I WANTED TO SAY TO YOU AND TO YOUR  DEAR WIFE MILLIE, SO I WROTE 'EM DOWN.  JUST A FEW  THINGS THAT WERE IN MY HEART THAT I'D LIKE TO SAY.  I GUESS YOU KNOW BY NOW THAT I'VE NEVER BEEN A MAN  OF MANY WORDS.  BUT I RECKON' THE GOOD LORD HAS  HIS OWN WAY OF LETTING US OLD FOLK KNOW WHEN OUR  DAYS ARE NUMBERED ON THIS OLE' EARTH.   AND THAT BEING  ALRIGHT WITH ME, AS I'VE LIVED A LONG AND HAPPY  LIFE....A PEACEFUL LIFE, THANKS TO MY LORD AND SAVIOUR  JESUS CHRIST.   I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE MANY, MANY TIMES YOU SHOWED KINDNESS TO THIS OLD SOUL.   THANK  YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP AND FOR BEING THE DEAR  BROTHER IN CHRIST TO ME THAT YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN.    AND MILLIE, I  THANK YOU FOR BEING THE SWEET SISTER IN  CHRIST TO ME THAT YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN.  YOU SEE, I'VE  ALWAYS KNOWN WHO WAS LEAVING THOSE SACKS OF FOOD  ON MY BACK PORCH ALL THESE YEARS.   AND  I  DON'T   WANT TO FORGET TO SAY THAT THOSE WERE THE BEST  CANNED PEACHES  I'VE EVER EATEN AND  I THANK YOU BOTH  FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.   YOU'LL NEVER KNOW  HOW MUCH I'VE APRECIATED YOUR FRIENDSHIP AND  KINDNESS.  THAT FOOD YOU BROUGHT ALL THOSE TIMES  SURE DID SUPPLY ME WITH WHAT I WOULDN'T HAVE HAD  OTHERWISE FOR THIS OLD AGING BODY.   ONE OF THE  JOYS IN MY LIFE HAS BEEN THOSE JARS OF PEACHES, MILLIE.   I KNOW THAT WHEN THE GOOD LORD DECIDES TO TAKE  ME ON HOME, THAT I WON'T LEAVE MUCH BEHIND, TO SPEAK  OF .  BUT THERE IS A LITTLE SOMETHING THAT I'D LIKE  FOR YOU AND MILLIE TO HAVE.  IF YOU WOULD GRACIOUSLY  ACCEPT IT, I'D SURE BE OBLIGED.  LIKE I SAID, IF YOU'RE  READIN'  THIS, THEN I'VE ALREADY GONE HOME.   SO IN  CLOSING, I'D JUST TO ADD THAT I WILL SEE YOU AGAIN,  IN HEAVEN ONE DAY. " IT WAS SIGNED 'YOUR  FRIEND, JOSH'   WHEN WILLIAM FINISHED READING THE LETTER,  HE LOOKED OVER AT MILLIE AND SAW THAT SHE HAD  TEARS STREAMING DOWN HER FACE.   WELL, HE COULD  UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE HE HAD TEARS RUNNING  DOWN HIS FACE AS WELL.  JOSH HAD WRITTEN THEM A  LETTER.  THAT OLD RASCAL HAD ALWAYS KNOWN THAT IT  HAD BEEN HE AND MILLIE WHO WAS BRINGING HIM FOOD  EVERY SUNDAY AND LEAVING IT ON HIS BACK PORCH.  YET  HE'D NEVER SAID A WORD TO WILLIAM ABOUT IT OR EVER  LET ON THAT HE KNEW.   WELL, THAT WAS JUST LIKE  OLD  JOSH.   HE HADN'T WANTED TO CAUSE ANY EMBAR- RACEMENT TO THEM.  WILLIAM DIDN'T HAVE ANY IDEA  AS TO WHAT THAT  'LITTLE SOMETHING'  WAS THAT JOSH  HAD SAID HE'D WANTED WILLIAM AND MILLIE TO HAVE ,  AFTER HE WAS GONE.   IT REALLY DIDN'T MATTER BECAUSE  AS FAR AS HE AND MILLIE WERE CONCERNED, ALL THEY'D  EVER WANTED FROM OLD JOSH WAS TO KNOW THAT HE WAS  DOING ALRIGHT.  THAT AND HIS FRIENDSHIP HAD BEEN  ENOUGH FOR THEM.   A FEW DAYS LATER, THAT  'LITTLE SOMETHING'  ARRIVED  AT WILLIAM'S  HOUSE.   THE TRUCK PULLED UP INTO WILLIAM'S YARD AND TWO MEN GOT OUT. WRITTEN ON THE SIDE OF  THE  TRUCK WERE THE WORDS "BENTLEY'S  NURSERY".  THERE  WERE THREE PEACH TREES STICKING UP OUT OF THE  BACK OF THE TRUCK!   SO THIS IS THE  'LITTLE  SOMETHING'  THAT OLD JOSH HAD WANTED THEM TO  HAVE!   THE TWO MEN UNLOADED THE PEACH TREES AND  WILLIAM AND MILLIE SHOWED THEM WHERE TO PUT  THEM.   AFTER THEY LEFT, WILLIAM DUG THE HOLES AND  PLANTED THEIR NEW PEACH TREES.   NOW MILLIE WOULD  HAVE PLENTY OF PEACHES TO CAN, THAT'S FOR SURE.  WILLIAM AND MILLIE COULDN'T HAVE BEEN HAPPIER OR MORE PLEASED WITH JOSH'S GIFT.     "WELL HON,  I GUESS OLD JOSH WANTED TO MAKE  SURE YOU NEVER RAN OUT OF PEACHES TO CAN".  "HE SURE DID LOVE THOSE CANNED PEACHES OF YOURS,  DIDN'T  HE?"  MILLIE SMILED AND WILLIAM COULD SEE  TEARS GLISTENING IN HER EYES AGAIN.   AS  WILLIAM  AND MILLIE STOOD ADMIRING THEIR THREE NEW PEACH  TREES, WILLIAM TOLD HIS WIFE, "I SURE AM GOING TO  MISS MY OLD FRIEND."         Fictional  Story Author/Written By: Tammy Boatman-Young