I had Tibor Gergley's "Great Big Book of bed time stories". There is a story in it called "Make way for the thruway" by Caroline Emerson. It is about an old lady who refuses to vacate her house so that they can make a highway. It has a happy ending when sympathetic construction workers build the road around her house, and she becomes the famous old lady with the pretty house next to the highway.

My favorite quote:

"You'll be paid for your land," said Mike.

"Money isn't everything in this world," said the little old lady.

Aww, heck, you guys deserve the whole paragraph:

"You'll be paid for your land," said Mike.

"Money isn't everything in this world," said the little old lady. ...

Next day, the Big Boss drove to the old house. "I'm sorry, ma'am," he said, "this house must come down."

"Young man," said the little old lady, "I've lived in this house for seventy years. I watched those trees grow. I planted that rose bush. I'm not leaving."

"But the thruway must go through," said the Big Boss. "People want the quickest, shortest way these days."

"What's their hurry?" asked the little old lady.

The Big Boss shook his head. he didn't know.

...

(After the diversion has been built)

"Oh, look at the roses!" people cry as they drive by. They slow down a little to look.

"Hum," says the little old lady to her cat, "they're not in such a hurry, after all."