mary livingston owns a cabin on forty acres of wooded timberland near an absolutely beautiful lake in the foothills of north carolina. the land and the cabin have been in her family for 3 generations; and mary, who is a teacher, looks forward to every summer which she spends there. the federal government has been quietly buying up the land in the area to create a national park. they've offered mary a price for her land, but she refused to sell. they came back with an even better offer, but she remains firm. "this is my land and its not for sale at any price!"