lts. I went to sleep that night with my head full of
the picnic, and dreamed that I rode up the mountain on Ned's Lightning,
and just as I got to the steepest part, the horse gave a jump, and
tumbled me over its head right down the side of the mountain; and as I
felt myself rolling down, down, down, I screamed so that I woke myself
up, and Calanthy too, who ran in from her room to shake me. I often
scream out in that way, if I have a bad dream. But I didn't tell the
girls what I was dreaming about.

The next morning, as soon as the work was done, Polly Jane said she
would go down to Rocky Hollow, and see how Widow Burt was getting on,
and if Betsy Mix could do for her. She didn't get back to dinner, and
Calanthy began to feel so uneasy, she said she would go herself and see
what was the matter. I begged her to send _me_ instead, for I knew she
couldn't bear such a long walk in the middle of the day. Father and the
boys had both our steady horses in the hay field, and I couldn't drive
the colt, so there was no way to ride. So at last she consented I should
go, but told me to take her big parasol, and get back as soon as I
could. When I got near the Hollow, I met Dr. Basset. He stopped his
horse and said:

'Mrs. Burt is very sick, Dimpey; and I'm going after a woman to help
Betsy Mix take care of her. She can't get along without help. Polly Jane
will stay till sundown, but _you_ can't do any good. So, you'd better
get in, and ride back with me; I'm going past your house.'

I was glad of a chance to ride home, so I got in the wagon, and asked
Dr. Basset if he thought Widow Burt wouldn't live?

'I can't say for _that_,' said he; 'but she's a mighty sick woman _now_.
She was out of her mind all last night, and I don't know what Betsy
would have done if Race Miller hadn't come in. He saw how Mrs. Burt was,
and stayed through the night, and he's so strong he could hold her when
Betsy couldn't manage. Once she jumped out of bed, and wanted to go sit
in the Hollow, and poor Jim would have let her climb a tree if she had a
mind to. But Race lifted her back in the bed, and sang hymns to her till
she was quiet. You know what a good voice he has. Betsy says it seemed
to act like opium on Mrs. Burt!'

'What would become of Jim if she should die, doctor?' said I.

'The Lord only knows, Dimpey. I'm afraid he'd have to go to the
poorhouse. I always hoped he'd be taken _first_; but we don't know what
is best, and God does.'

Doct