Goodbye, Nauvoo by Marie Woodward

Author:Marie Woodward [Woodward, Marie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-11-27T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

The Revelation

Martha and her children came to visit Lydia and her Parker family while Samuel was away hauling one evening. It was a hot day, made worse by the humidity that clung to Martha’s skin like a heavy blanket. Martha’s children sprawled on the cool ground as Martha sat with her family in the parlor. A wonderful cross breeze blew through the open windows.

“I’m so glad you could come by,” Lucy said as she rocked back and forth and fanned herself. “It's just the thing I’ve needed to raise my spirits.” She smiled sadly at her grandchildren. “Beth and I have been feeling under the weather.”

Malinda raised herself on her elbows. “Is Beth coming down to play today?”

“I’m afraid not,” Lucy replied frowning. “Beth had so much fun at our last party, she was so excited for everyone to come over again. It broke her heart that she can’t be down here with you all. She’s had a fever for the last few days and the doctor said it would be best for her to stay in bed until she’s better.” She pulled Johnnie up into her lap and held him tight until he squirmed out of her arms.

“Poor thing, I hope she feels better,” Martha said as she held Asenath on her knee. “It's the bad swamp air. Too much vegetable matter.”

Lydia nodded. “Yes, they thought they could get rid of it when they drained the swamp, but not so.”

“It's not the swamp air,” Faddy interjected. “It's those immigrants from England and the East. Bringing with them their diseases.” He shook his head. “They want to come here but should they? Their diseases are killing us off. Pretty soon there won’t be many of us left. If Governor Ford wants us gone, he should just ship a bunch of Easterners over here. That would take care of the job real quick.”

“Faddy is off on one of his tangents again,” Lucy said with a tsk. “You’re forgetting we were immigrants, too, aren’t you?”

“But he has a point,” said Lydia. “I was out at the cemetery recently and there were dozens of new graves being dug and more that needed to be dug. The gravedigger said that 40 people have already died from fever alone this season.”

“No more talk of death and disease in this house. Not with Beth upstairs suffering,” Lucy said angrily, her eyes flitting up at the ceiling.

As if on cue, there came a miserable groan from upstairs where Beth slept. Lucy sighed. “She’s had a rough time of it, she has. I better see if she needs me.” She lumbered out of her rocker and ascended the staircase, moving slowly as if each step were like moving mountains.

“She’s been up all night with Beth,” Faddy explained. “The child has not been able to sleep a wink with the pain she’s been in.”

“She doesn’t leave her side when Beth’s awake,” Lydia added, “and when Beth’s asleep she stays up there with her in her room. It's a miracle she came down at all today to see you.

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