" "I will try!"
thought poor Ellen; and then she passed through the kitchen,
and went up to her own room. Here, without stopping to think,
she took off her things, gave one strange look at the old
familiar place, and her trunk in the corner, fell on her knees
for one minute, and then went to her aunt's room.
"Come in," cried Miss Fortune when Ellen had knocked. "Well,
Ellen, there you are. I am thankful it is you; I was afraid it
might be Mimy Lawson, or Sarah Lowndes, or some of the rest of
the set; I know they'll all come scampering here as soon as
they hear I'm laid up."
"Are you very sick, Aunt Fortune?" said Ellen.
"La! no, child — I shall be up again to-morrow; but I felt
queer this morning, somehow, and I thought I'd try lying down.
I expect I've caught some cold."
There was no doubt of this; but this was not all. Besides
catching cold, and doing her best to bring it about, Miss
Fortune had overtasked her strength, and by dint of economy,
housewifery, and _smartness_, had brought on herself the severe
punishment of lying idle and helpless for a much longer time
than she at first reckoned on.
"What can I do for you, Aunt Fortune?" said Ellen.
"Oh, nothing as I know," said Miss Fortune — "only let me
alone, and don't ask me anything, and keep people out of the
house. Mercy! my head feels as if it would go crazy! Ellen,
look here," said she, raising herself on her elbow — "I won't
have anybody come into this house — if I lie here till
doomsday, I won't! Now, you mind me.
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