ck with her toward the carriage. Just before
reaching the road she saw some clusters of clematis on the side of the
brook, which at her desire I gathered. It was the last service of the
kind ever performed for her, and I am so thankful that no hands but mine
were privileged to perform it! During the drive home she said almost
nothing and was, evidently, feeling very much wearied. We returned by
the West road and on passing in at our gate I observed that Dr. Wyman's
gig was still in front of Miss Kent's. "Why, Lizzy, Dr. Wyman is still
here," said I. "Then, I would like to see him now rather than wait till
Monday," she said, to my surprise. I went immediately and asked him to
call. It was, I think, between eleven and twelve o'clock. He came very
soon and she received him in the parlor. I noticed at once that she was
extremely nervous and agitated, while explaining to him her symptoms;
and not being able to recall some point, she remarked that her mind had
been much confused all the week. Just then she rose hastily, excused
herself, and went up to her room. "_She is very ill_ (said the doctor,
turning to me) and must go to bed instantly." While he was preparing
her medicines Judge M. and family from New York, who were sojourning at
Manchester, called; but learning of her illness, soon left. Later in the
day I told her who had called and how much Mrs. M. and the young ladies
admired her flowers, especially the portulacas. She seemed pleased
and said to me, "You had better, then, prepare two little boxes of
portulacas and send them over to Mrs. M. to keep in her windows while
she stays at the Equinox House." A few days after her death I did so and
received a touching note of thanks from Mrs. M.

As the doctor directed, she at once took to her bed. For an hour or two
her prostration was extreme, and she nearly fainted. Her head shook and
her condition verged on a collapse. I rubbed her hands vigorously, gave
her a restorative, and gradually her strength returned. In speaking of
the attack she said the sense of weakness was so terrible that she would
gladly have died on the spot. In the course of the afternoon, however,
she was so much easier that the girls read to her again out of Boswell's
Johnson and she seemed to listen with all the old interest. It pleased
her greatly to have them read to her; and she loved to talk with them
about the books read and especially to discuss the characters depicted
in any of them.

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