Acts of Courage by Connie Brummel Crook

Author:Connie Brummel Crook [Crook, Connie Brummel]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: C429, Extratorrents, Kat
Publisher: Pajama Press
Published: 2012-01-23T13:00:00+00:00

FOURTEEN

A day after the funeral, Sally and Laura sat in silence on the back steps of the inn. As the evening shadows fell across them, Sally turned to Laura, her eyes still red from crying, and said softly, “My children are still with me, Laura, and I will manage. You must go now to yours.”

Laura knew she was right, for the fear of war hung over all of them. “I will go tomorrow,” she said, “but first I want to see Sam.”

Just then, young Thomas came by, and Laura felt a twinge of pain as he looked at his mother with his head tilted sideways. It was the way Father used to hold his head when he had something serious to say. “Sam did not pick up his food today,” he said.

“I must go to him,” Laura said. “He’ll need help.” They both knew that he must be very sick if he could not make it just outside his door for the food.

“But the smallpox!” Sally exclaimed. “Don’t take Thomas. I can’t have any more sickness just now.” She started to sob into her apron.

“I’m not afraid,” Laura said. “I’m immune, and he may need care.”

“How can you be sure that you won’t take the disease?” asked Thomas.

“I’ve had cowpox,” said Laura.

“I know they say that cowpox protects you from smallpox,” said Sally, “but I’ve known folks who’ve had cowpox and took the disease anyway.”

“Well, I won’t. I’ve cared for many in our area with the smallpox when no one would go near them. Neither I nor my family have suffered. I’m careful, of course. I use lots of soft soap and hot water.”

“You can’t be too careful around smallpox.”

“Has the doctor visited?”

“No, and I understand that he is immune, too, and goes regularly into houses with the smallpox. But Thomas asked him to visit Sam and he refused.”

“Why?”

“Because Sam’s black. The doctor was determined not to go, and Thomas was just too weak to argue.”

“Well, I’m not,” Laura said indignantly. She stood up and straightened out her long petticoat. She pushed back a few strands of loose hair behind her mob cap and left Sally and young Thomas sitting on the steps. She hastened along the pathway to the doctor’s house, not far from the inn.

She had intended to pay this visit sooner, but she knew Sally would worry about her carrying the illness to the family. So she had planned to pack everything now and visit Sam on her way back home. But this sudden news about his food left her no choice.

The doctor’s house was the largest in the small village, and Laura walked briskly up the front steps and knocked on the door. A middle-aged woman servant with a white apron over her petticoats opened the door and stared out silently.

Laura pushed back the open door and stepped inside. “I’m Thomas Ingersoll’s daughter, and I’ve come to see the doctor.

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