My treasure is my scrapbook filled with memories. It holds many articles I have written over a period of years.
    The first article in it was printed in the "Farm and Fireside" many years ago. In this article I told about my mother's basket-making.
    I received many letters asking how she made them. A woman in New York wrote for instructions. Mother and I wrote quite extensively to her. This woman later had a book published and dedicated it to my mother. The book was on basket-making.
    Other articles in my scrapbook deal with our way of living in the long ago. I saved all of them for I thought my grandchildren would enjoy them. They cannot comprehend the way of life we enjoyed--and the hard work we did, with no electricity or modern conveniences.
    I wrote about our school and about my dear grandma. She was a very gracious lady. I have many stories about my mother and father and life on our farm.
    Here in my scrapbook I read about gardens, flowers, spring and winter. There is even a true ghost story I wrote down to share with others.
    I am not one to live in the past, but when I read these articles I recall many things which happened in the long ago and I treasure the memories. These are my golden years and they are happy times, for I do my best to live them to the fullest.
    My treasure, in scrapbook and memory, only enhances them more.

Mellie Smith
undated