n the
morning, I said, 'Laura, did you sleep well last night?' She replied,
'O, missis, my heart too full of joy to sleep. Me lay awake all night,
thinking how happy me is in dis nice, clean bed, all to myself. Me never
sleep in a bed before, missis.'

"Laura, then about thirteen years old, came to me with a hard cough, and
pain in her side. I put on flannels, gave her a generous diet, and
hoped, that with rest and cheerful surroundings, she would soon rally as
other children had, who came to me in a similar broken-down condition.
Still the cough and pain continued. I dosed her with various
restoratives, such as flax-seed, and slippery elm, etc., but all were of
no avail. She steadily grew worse. Every week I could see she declined.
Her appetite failed; night sweats came on; and she was so weak that most
of the day she lay in bed. The children, all of whom loved Laura, she
was so patient and gentle, whispered one to another, 'Laura is gwine to
die; dere is def in her eye."

"One evening in mid-winter, the poor child's short breath, fluttering
pulse, and cold, clammy sweat alarmed me, and I felt sure that unless
the dear Lord interposed in her behalf, her time with us was very short.
I lingered by her bed till near midnight in prayer for her recovery. I
could not give her up. Again in my own room I poured out my soul in
prayer for the child, and then slept. About two o'clock, I suddenly
awoke, and heard what seemed a voice saying to me, '_Go to Laura; I can
heal her now; the conditions are right; you are both calm and
trustful_.'

"I arose quickly, hastened to her room and said to her, 'Laura, do you
want to get well?' 'O, yes, missis, me wants to get well.' 'Do you
believe Jesus can cure you?' She replied, 'I know he can if he will.'
'Well, Laura,' I said, 'Jesus has just waked me out of a sound sleep,
and told me to go and tell you that he _will cure you now_. Do you
believe he will, Laura?' 'Yes, missis, me _do believe_,' she replied
earnestly. She then repeated this prayer. 'O, Jesus, do please to make
me well; let me live a long time, and be a good and useful woman.'

"The burden had rolled off my heart; I returned to my room and slept
sweetly. In the morning, Tamar, Laura's attendant, met me at the door,
exclaiming joyfully, 'O, I'se so glad! Laura is a heap better, Missis.
She wake me up long time before day and begged me to get her something
to eat, she so hungry.'

"From that night Laura rapidly recovered.