"Tell Mrs. Condy that I will come round in the course of half an
hour."
Lucy went away, and Ellen, after sitting irresolute for some
minutes, said--
"I don't think, sister, that I can do any thing more for Mrs. Condy
than her shopping. I wouldn't like to leave you alone. You know how
bad your cough is sometimes."
"I'll do well enough through the day, Ellen," replied Margaret,
though her feeble voice and languid manner told too plainly that she
could not do very well at any time. "You know that our rent will be
due in two weeks, and that you haven't yet got enough to pay it."
"That is very true," said Ellen, somewhat sadly. "Anyhow, I'll go to
Mrs. Condy's, and will think about the matter."
After dressing herself, Ellen insisted that her sister should lie
down. She then placed a small table close to the bed, upon which was
set a few articles of food, and a vial of cough medicine. After
charging Margaret to keep very quiet, and to try to sleep, she
turned upon her a look of deep and yearning affection, and then
hurried away.
The sight of Ellen, and the necessary allusion to the recent
afflicting loss, caused the tears of the mother and sisters to flow
afresh. But these were soon dried up, and so much were the minds of
each interested in the idea of the mourning dresses, and in the
necessary directions to be given, that few traces of the real
affliction which had wrung their hearts remained, for the time,
perceptible. The orders received by Ellen were promptly filled at
the store where the family usually purchased their dry-goods, and
the various articles sent home. The bundles arrived about the same
time that Ellen returned. Then came a careful examination of the
shades of colour and quality of the goods. These proving
satisfactory, Jane said--
"And now, Ellen, mother's dress, and Mary's, and mine must be done
this week. We'll all help you. Mary and I can make the skirts and
bind cord for you, and do a good deal on the dresses. You can get
them done, easily enough?"
"Indeed, Miss Jane," replied Ellen, and her voice was not steady, "I
hardly know what to say. Sister is worse than she has ever been; and
I don't see how I can leave her alone. She coughs terribly; and is
so weak, that she can only sit up a little while. She has failed
very fast within a week."
"But you know this is a case particularly pressing," said Mrs.
Condy. "There seems to be no help for it. There is no one we can get
but you, now; and you know we give you all our sewing, and depend on
you. Lucy says that Margaret is willing to have you come, and says
that she can get on very well."
Ellen paused a moment or two, and then replied, with an expression
of sadness in her voice--"I will make the dresses for you, Mrs.
Condy, but you must all help me as much as you can, so that I can
get home every evening. It won't do to let Margaret be alone all
night, for her cough is much worse in the evening, and before day in
the morning."
Neither Mrs. Condy nor her daughters replied to this. Mentally, they
deemed it impossible for Ellen to go home at night. But they did not
wish to say so. It was Wednesday, and all the afternoon was consumed
in cutting, fitting, and basting the dresses. Night came, and Ellen,
after tea, prepared to go home. Some slight objection was made; but
she was resolute. It was some time after dark when she came in sight
of her chamber window. It showed that there was no light within.
Instantly she sprang forward, and soon bounded up the stairs and
into the room.
"Margaret!--How are you, Margaret?" she said, pressing up to the
bedside, and putting her hand upon the forehead of her sister. It
was cold and clammy. A violent fit of coughing prevented a reply. A
light was obtained in a few minutes, and showed the countenance of
Margaret slightly distorted from difficult breathing, and her
forehead perceptibly corrugated.
"You are worse, sister!" exclaimed Ellen, kissing her damp forehead.
"No, not much worse. My cough is only a little troublesome," was the
quiet reply.
"You have had no supper yet, of course," said Ellen. "A cup of hot
tea will do you good."
This was soon prepared, and Margaret ate with a keen appetite.
After tea, she was much better. The cold perspiration ceased, and
her skin became dry and warm. A brief conversation passed between
the sisters, when Margaret fell off into a pleasant slumber. On the
next morning, with much reluctance and many misgivings as to whether
it were right to leave her sister alone, Ellen went to Mrs. Condy's.
Before going, however, she asked the kind neighbour who lived below,
to look in occasionally, and to see that Margaret had a good cup of
tea for dinner. This was promised, and she felt lighter at heart.
Ellen worked hard through that day; but when night came, with all
the help she had received, the first dress was not finished. Unless
one dress were finished each day, the three could not be done by
Sunday; and this not being the case on the first day, how could she
go home that night? for if she worked a few hours longer, the
garment would be ready for the wearer.
"I must run home a little while," said she, mentally, "and then come
back again. But how can I leave Margaret all night? She may die!"
The thought caused her to shudder.