Simeon and Primrose Saunders of Upper Gullies were celebrating their 50th anniversary.

"Well, Sim," she said over the breakfast table, "We've been married for fifty years."

"Yep," he quietly replied.

"We've raised thirteen children together," she said.

"Thirteen children," he subduedly responded.

At that moment Primrose noticed a tear running down her husband's cheek. "Simeon Saunders, you sentimental old fart!!! Is that a tear I see in your eye?"

"Yes," he replied. "That is a tear. I was just thinking about fifty years ago today."

She held his hand, and said, "And it brings a tear to your eye?"

"Yes," he said. "Remember when your father caught us up in the twine loft? He yelled at me and told me we had to get married or he'd see to it that I went to jail for 50 years."

She smiled and nodded as the tears thickened in both eyes.

"Well," he said, "Today I could have been a free man."