Chapter 3 Trouble and More Trouble.
A few weeks after Mamsie's birthday, Joel gazed unhappily at his bowl of oatmeal.
"'I wish we could have something else to eat,' said Joel.
"'I'm tired of the same old breakfast.'
"'Well, hand it over then,' said Ben, who was always hungry."
Be grateful for what we've got, Joel, Mamsy gently scolded him as she kissed the top of his head.
Polly, remember to visit the parson today.
He's a little bit sick.
Then Mamsy went into the next room to begin work on her sewing for the day.
Oh dear, said Francie, pushing her bowl away.
I'm sick too.
You are, Polly asked with alarm.
I'm sick of oatmeal.
Francie pouted.
Polly, will we ever have anything else to eat?
Someday we will, Polly said.
Someday we'll have lots and lots of good things and treats.
Like what?
Francie asked.
The little peppers didn't have money for sweets or fancy foods.
They only had enough to pay for oatmeal, flour, and potatoes.
Polly thought for a moment.
Someday we'll have ice cream and little cakes with sugar frosting, Polly said as she filled a tub of soapy water and cleared the breakfast dishes.
With pink on top, Franzi asked, getting down from her seat to help Polly wash up.
More pink icing than even you can eat, Franzi pepper, Polly laughed.
I like plum puddings, Joel said, like the one Mamsy made for us Thanksgiving that one time.
Seventy-five of them, he added, patting his stomach.
I'd have roast beef and potatoes and pie, Ben said, putting on his coat.
Come on, Joel, we'd be late to chop wood at Deacon Blodgett's.
Joel slowly got up and went with Ben.
What would you choose, Davy?
Polly asked.
Davy had been quietly eating his oatmeal.
He thought for a moment, and then he put a spoon down.
"'I think the most beautiful breakfast would be toasted white bread and candy,' Davy said.
"'Oh, I think so, too,' Francie said excitedly, accidentally spilling Polly's washtub filled with soapy water.
"'Francie,' Polly cried, "'you're wetter than a hen in the rain.'
Oh, help, it's running down my back, Franzi cried.
Polly took a dry towel from a nearby laundry basket and wrapped Franzi up tightly.
She pulled off Franzi's dripping stockings, shoes and dress, which were forming little puddles of dishwater at her feet.
Then she helped Franzi into a clean, dry dress and settled her into her bedroom.
Mamsy came back into the kitchen just as Polly finished cleaning everything up.
I think I'll take Franzi with me to visit the Hendersons, said Polly.
She looked into the bedroom and saw Franzi fast asleep in a heap on the floor, her face bright red.
No, I won't after all, said Polly as she pulled on her coat.
Ask if Parson Henderson still has a chill, if he has a fever and how he slept last night.
We wouldn't want anything to happen to the minister, Mamsie said in a worried voice.
Then she added a whole list of new questions to be sure to ask the Hendersons.
Oh, I'll never remember all that, said Polly in dismay.
Yes, you will, Mamsie said with a smile.
Polly knocked on Parson Henderson's old-fashioned green door with a heavy brass knocker.
It was the fanciest house in Badgertown and Polly was always a little bit nervous when she went there.
When the door opened, Polly's heart sank.
Instead of gentle Mrs Henderson, the parson's wife, there stood Miss Jerusha, the parson's very mean sister.
Miss Jerusa was a big woman with sharp black eyes and tiny glasses which she wore on the tip of her nose.
When she looked down her nose and over her glasses at Polly, all of Mamsie's questions flew out of Polly's head.
Well, what do you want?
Miss Jerusa asked sternly.
I came to see, I mean, my mother sent me stammered, poor Polly, and Who is your mother and just where do you live?
Miss Jerusha asked, sounding very much like a police officer.
I live on Promise Lane, said Polly.
My mother is Mrs. Pepper.
Mrs. Who?
Miss Jerusha asked.
By this time, Polly was so scared, she nearly turned and ran away.
Why, it's Polly Pepper, a gentle voice said.
Mrs Henderson came to the door and led Polly through the wide hallway into a big old-fashioned sitting room.
Miss Jerusha followed them.
She sat down by the window and started to knit.
Just as Polly was about to ask about Parson Henderson, the door to the sitting room opened and he walked in.
Oh, said Polly, flustered all over again.
What is it, my dear? the kindly minister asked.
I do hope you're not going to get a fever, be sick and die, she blurted out.
Well, I never, Miss Jerusha exclaimed.
I hope not as well, my dear, the minister smiled.
Come outside and see our new brood of chicks Polly.
Mrs Henderson said, rescuing her from Miss Jerusha.
While petting and holding the fuzzy little chicks, Polly was able to ask all the questions her mother had told her to say.
Happy to know that everything at the Hendersons was well.
Polly put the little puffballs back into their coop.
I must be going now, Polly said.
Mamsie will be needing me.
Wait one minute, Mrs. Henderson said.
She went into the kitchen and returned a moment later with a bowl full of fresh butter.
My sister sent us some of her lovely butter and we would like to share it with you, she said kindly.
Oh, thank you, Mrs. Henderson.
The little ones love butter, Polly exclaimed.
Polly hummed all the way home.
She knew how happy Franzi would be when she gave her a piece of bread with lots of butter.
Franzi, Polly called as she came through the door.
Hush, Polly, said Mrs. Pepper from the great rocking chair in the middle of the floor.
She was holding Francie in her arms.
There's something wrong with Francie.
She's covered with spots and burning up with fever.
Go for Dr. Fisher, Polly.
Run as fast as you can, she said.
Polly put down the butter bowl and ran for the doctor.
Polly knew in her heart that something bad was happening, for the Peppers had never sent for the doctor before.
It's measles, Dr. Fisher declared after examining the poor little girl.
No cause for alarm.
Have any of the others ever had it? he asked Mrs. Pepper.
No, Mrs. Pepper replied with a worried shake of her head.
Dr. Fisher mixed up some black-looking stuff in a bottle and gave a spoonful of it to Franzi.
Poor little Franzi was so sick she didn't even protest, not a bit.
Polly, whispered Mrs. Pepper, run and get my purse.
Polly returned with the worn little purse where Mrs. Pepper kept her hard-earned dollars.
Slowly Mrs. Pepper counted out the money she owed the doctor.
No charge, Mrs. Pepper, Dr. Fisher said.
Call me whenever you need me.
With that, he was gone, even before Mrs. Pepper could thank him for his kindness.
What is a measles?
Franzi asked in a sleepy voice.
Just something children get, Mrs Pepper said with a sigh, although I was hoping it would pass all of you by.
Well, I won't get it, Polly said.
Neither will any of the rest of us.
While Mrs Pepper put Francie to bed, Polly worked in the kitchen getting lunch ready for Ben and Joel and Davy when they returned.
Just then, Joel and Davy tumbled into the kitchen, hungry as wolves.
Where's Ben?
Polly asked, setting down a plate of buttered bread.
He's just coming down the lane, Joel said between mouthfuls.
He says he feels funny, piped up Davy.
Something's wrong with Ben, Joel said.
Polly dropped the cup she held.
It broke into a dozen pieces.
Something is wrong with Ben.
Polly flew out the door and met Ben coming down the lane.
His face looked just like Franzi's.
Oh, Ben, Polly cried.
You've got the measles.
She flung her arms around him.
No, I don't, Polly.
Ben assured her.
"'My head aches a bit and my eyes feel funny, but I'll be fine after lunch,' Ben said.
Mrs. Pepper took one look at Ben's red face and sighed.
She gave him a spoonful of Francie's medicine and packed him off to bed.
Without Ben's wages, Mrs. Pepper would have to take in three times more sewing than she usually did.
That meant Polly would have to help with the sewing, nurse the sick ones and take care of the house'.
For almost a week, Polly and Mrs. Pepper worked side by side and barely got a wink of sleep.
One morning, Polly tried to get the sick ones to eat their breakfast.
Neither Ben nor Francie could bear the sight of the usual oatmeal.
Make them some toast and tea, Polly dear, Mrs. Pepper said.
Mrs. Pepper was worn and worried.
She'd been up all night back and forth from Ben's bed to restless little Francie who refused to sleep in her own bed and kept getting up to be with Polly.
Polly had tried to sit up the night with Francie, but somewhere in the middle of the night she had fallen asleep, leaving her mother to care for both Francie and Ben.
When Polly woke up in the morning, she felt she had let her mother down.
She vowed to work extra hard to take care of Ben and Francie during the day.
Here you go, Polly said cheerfully as she brought Ben his toast and butter.
Poor Ben pretended to eat for Polly's sake, but he barely touched anything at all.
Next, Polly went in to see Francie.
My face itches.
Francie wailed.
She rubbed her face with both fat little hands.
I want Mamsy, she cried.
Mamsy is sewing and can't come in, Polly said, offering Francie some toast.
Francie took a bite, but the bread was hard and dry.
She cried harder than before.
Now Franzi, I saw the cutest little chick yesterday and it snapped up a bug from the mother hen in just one bite, Polly said as she heaped a pat of butter on a tiny piece of toast.
It did, Franzi asked.
How?
Let me show you, Polly said.
Let's pretend you're a little chick and I'm the mother hen.
Open your mouth, just like this.
Polly leaned her head back and opened her mouth.
Franzi did, too.
Polly placed a bit of buttered toast on Francie's tongue.
In spite of herself, Francie chewed the toast.
"'Just like that,' Francie said, delighted.
Francie eyed the next piece of buttered toast and asked, "'Did the little chick have two bugs?'
"'Yes, it did,' Polly said, and popped another piece of buttered toast right into Francie's mouth.
Soon every piece was gone.'
That night, Polly offered to sit up with Ben to give him his medicine.
No, Polly, Mrs. Pepper said.
You'll be worn out in the morning.
Let me, said Davy.
I can do it.
Davy is too little.
He'll fall asleep, Polly whispered to her mother.
Then Ben came up with a plan.
I'll tie a string to Davy's arm, Ben suggested.
When it's time for my medicine, I'll just wake him up.
In spite of Ben's plan, Polly didn't get much sleep.
Francie cried and called for water all night long.
By morning, no one had gotten much sleep.
After breakfast, Mrs. Pepper handed Joel a coat for Mr. Peters, one of Mamsie's best customers.
She had mended it during the night.
Take this coat to Mr Peters and be sure to wait for him to give you the money he owes us.
Mrs Pepper said.
It's not nice up at the Peters' house, Joel grumbled as he took the coat and left.
Let me help you with the sewing.
Mamsie Polly offered taking some of the mending from her mother's lap.
Mr. Atkins, who owned the clothing store, had given Mrs. Pepper a week's worth of mending to do.
You've already done so much, Mamsie sighed.
It can wait.
No, it can't, Polly said briskly.
We need the money.
You know we do.
Mr. Atkins won't give you next week's work if we don't finish this up today.
I suppose you're right, Mrs. Pepper said, allowing Polly to take the sewing from her.
Davy tried his best to help out, too.
He blundered through Ben's outdoor chores chopping wood and stacking logs but it took him twice as long to do the things that Ben did easily.
Meanwhile, Polly sewed all morning long to help her mother.
Polly dear, rest a bit, Mrs. Pepper said.
I'm going to sew every day with you, Mamsy, she promised.
That way Mr Atkins will give us even more mending to do believe anybody's got such wonderful children as I do, Mrs Pepper said and gave Polly a kiss on the top of her head.
Hours later, Joel straggled into the little brown house, hungry as a bear.
Where have you been all this time?
Mrs. Pepper asked.
I've been at the Peters' house, Joel said, placing the money on the table.
This whole time, Mrs. Pepper said with surprise.
Well, I gave him the coat and then they went all about their business and didn't give me the money, Joel said, wolfing down the bread that Polly set before him.
So what did you do?
Mrs. Pepper asked.
I waited and waited and then I told them that we needed the money because Ben and Francie had the squeezles.
Joel said munching on the last of the bread.
The measles, Polly corrected him.
Then they laughed and gave me the money, Joel said.
I'm never going back, he said, flinging himself onto the floor to take a nap.
All afternoon, Polly sewed and sewed, but it got harder for Polly to thread the needle.
She rubbed her eyes, but that didn't help at all.
Oh dear, Polly thought, my eyes feel like there's sand in them.
Polly didn't want to let her mother down, so she kept on sewing until she was done.
There now, Polly said, jumping up from her seat.
I'll do twice as much tomorrow, Polly promised her mother.
That night tired, Polly tucked herself into her old four-poster bed and hoped she'd feel better in the morning.
But when morning came, Polly could hardly move.
She dragged herself to look in the old cracked mirror beside her bed.
Polly lost all hope when she gazed at her reflection.
The measles.
She had it too.
I don't care if I do, Polly declared.
I can't be sick.
I won't be sick.
What will Mamsie do?
Feeling awful, Polly got dressed and stumbled into the kitchen.
She tried to set the table, but she couldn't see the dishes or the table very well at all.
Polly, Joel called, coming into the kitchen.
Polly jumped in surprise at Joel's voice.
Then, without warning, she fell over in a heap.
Mamsy, something's wrong with Polly.
She's fallen into the wood box, Joel shouted.
