A little while after returning home I found her in her little room,
looking well and happy, and busy with her brush. The girls, also, on
reaching the house found her there. But somewhat later, without our
knowledge, she went out and worked for a long time on and about the
lawn. There was a breeze, but the rays of the sun were scorchingly hot
and she doubtless exerted herself, as she was always tempted to do,
beyond her strength. I was occupied until noon at the mill and later,
in the field, watching the men cradling oats. On coming in to dinner, a
little past one, I was startled not to find her at the table, "Where is
mamma?" said I to M. "She is not feeling very well," M. answered, "and
said she would not come down, as she did not want any dinner." I ran
up-stairs, found her in her little room, and asked her what was the
matter. She replied that she had been troubled with a little nausea and
felt weak, but it was nothing serious. I went back to the table, but
with a worried, anxious mind. Somewhat later she lay down on the bed and
the prostration became so great, that I rubbed her hands vigorously and
administered hartshorn. It occurred to me at once that she had
barely escaped a sunstroke. After rallying from this terrible fit of
exhaustion, she seemed quite like herself again, and listened with much
interest while the girls read to her out of Boswell's Johnson. She was
in a sweet, gentle mood all the afternoon. "I prayed this morning," she
said, "that I might be a comfort to-day to everybody in the house."

_Tuesday, Aug.6th._--She passed the day in bed; feeble, but otherwise
seeming still like herself. In the course of the morning we persuaded
her to let Margaret, Eddy's old nurse, make her some milk-toast, which
she enjoyed so much that she said, "I wish, Margaret, you were well
enough to come and be our cook." M. had taken the place of our two
servants, who were gone to East Dorset to a Confirmation, at which their
bishop was to be present. Throughout the day she was in a very tender,
gentle mood, as she had been on the previous afternoon. She was much
exercised by the sudden death of the mother of one of our servants, the
news of which came while they were away. Had the case been that of
a near relative, she could hardly have shown warmer sympathy, or
administered consolation in a more considerate manner.

During the day there was more or less talk about the Bible-reading and I
begged her to give it up. We final