A LONG STORY ""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 today."" ""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!""