“Now, Uncle Zed, have you forgotten again?” inquired Mrs. Trent.

“Forgotten what?  I suppose I have, for my memory is not so good as it used to be.”

“Your memory never was good regarding the day of the year you were born.”

“Day when I was born?  What, has my birthday come around again?  Well, sure; but I had quite forgotten.  How these birthdays do pile up on one.”

“How old are you today?” asked Dorian.

“How old?  Let me see.  I declare, I must be seventy-five.”

“Isn’t he a funny man,” whispered Carlia to Mildred, who appeared not to hear the comment, so interested was she in the old man.

“And so you’ve come to celebrate,” went on Uncle Zed, “come to congratulate me that I am one year nearer the grave.”

“Now, Uncle Zed, you know—­”

“Yes; I know; forgive me for teasing; I know why you come to wish me well.  It is that I have kept the faith one year more, and that I am twelve months nearer my heavenly reward.  That’s it, isn’t it?”

Uncle Zed pushed his glasses up on his forehead to better see his company, especially Mildred.  Mrs. Trent made the proper introduction, then lifted the picnic basket from the table to a corner.

“We’re just going to spend an hour or so with you,” explained Mrs. Trent.  “We want you to talk, Mildred to play, and then we’ll have a bite to eat.  We’ll just sit about your grate, and look into the glow of the fire while you talk.”  However, Dorian and Mildred were scanning the books.

“What’s this set?” the young girl asked.

Dorian bent down to read the dim titles.  “The Millennial Star” he said.

“And here’s another set.”

“The Journal of Discourses” he replied.

“My, all sermons? they must be dry reading.”

Uncle Zed heard their conversation, and stepped over to them.  “Are you also interested in books?” he asked.  “Dorian and I are regular book-worms, you know.”

Oh, yes, she was interested in books.

“But there are books and books, you know,” went on Uncle Zed.  “You like story books, no doubt.  So do I. There’s nothing better than a rattling good love story, eh, young lady?”

Mildred hardly knew just how to take this remark, so she did not reply.

“Here’s the most wonderful love story ever written.”  He took from the shelf a very ordinary looking volume, called the “Doctrine and Covenants.”  Carlia and Mrs. Trent now joined the other three.  They also were interested.

“You wouldn’t be looking in the ‘Doctrine and Covenants’ for love stories, would you; but here in the revelation on the eternity of the marriage covenant we find that men and women, under the proper conditions and by the proper authority, may be united as husbands and wives, not only for time, but for eternity.  Most love stories end when the lovers are married; but think of the endlessness of life and love under this new and everlasting covenant of marriage—­but I mustn’t preach so early in the evening.”