r, when order was restored, the floor washed
up brightly, and every cup and platter in place, hobnobbing away to
themselves on the shelves of the old corner cupboard, and Polly had come
as usual with needle and thread to help mother--Polly was getting so
that she could do the plain parts on the coats and jackets, which
filled her with pride at the very thought--"now," said Mrs. Pepper, "you
needn't help me this morning, Polly: I'm getting on pretty smart; but
you may just run down to the parson's, and see how he is."

"Is he sick?" asked Polly, in awe.

To have the parson sick, was something quite different from an ordinary
person's illness.

"He's taken with a chill," said Mrs. Pepper, biting off a thread, "so
Miss Huldy Folsom told me last night, and I'm afraid he's going to have
a fever."

"Oh, dear," said Polly, in dire distress; "whatever'd we do, mammy!"

"Don't know, I'm sure," replied Mrs. Pepper, setting her stitches
firmly; "the Lord'll provide. So you run along, child, and see how he
is."

"Can't Phronsie go?" asked Polly, pausing half-way to the bedroom door.

"Well, yes, I suppose she might," said Mrs. Pepper, assentingly.

"No, she can't either," said Polly, coming back with her sun-bonnet in
her hand, and shutting the door carefully after her, "cause she's fast
asleep on the floor."

"Is she?" said Mrs. Pepper; "well, she's been running so this morning,
she's tired out, I s'pose."

"And her face is dreadfully red," continued Polly, tying on her bonnet;
"now, what'll I say, mammy?"

"Well, I should think 'twould be," said Mrs. Pepper, replying to the
first half of Polly's speech; "she cried so. Well, you just tell Mrs.
Henderson your ma wants to know how Mr. Henderson is this morning, and
if 'twas a chill he had yesterday, and how he slept last night, and--"

"Oh, ma," said Polly, "I can't ever remember all that."

"Oh, yes, you can," said Mrs. Pepper, encouragingly; "just put your mind
on it, Polly; 'tisn't anything to what I used to have to remember--when
I was a little girl, no bigger than you are."

Polly sighed, and feeling sure that something must be the matter with
her mind, gave her whole attention to the errand; till at last after a
multiplicity of messages and charges not to forget any one of them, Mrs.
Pepper let her depart.

Up to the old-fashioned green door, with its brass knocker, Polly went,
running over in her mind just which of the messages she ought to give
first. She