Mockingbird's Call Read Free

could often be quite cumbersome.
    What she saw inside took her breath away and filled her tender heart with sorrow. One rickety table stood in the center of the room with three tree stumps placed around it, apparently serving as chairs. A few tattered blankets were laid out on the dirt floor of the cabin. On one of the blankets lay a very young girl, probably only five or six years old, who was alternately coughing and moaning, obviously in the grip of some dangerous disease. A shallow bowl filled with water and a wad of rags indicated that the only other occupant of the one-room cabin, probably the mother of the little girl, had been bathing her forehead with cool water. Now she stood to one side as Amelia’s mother set her basket on the table and drew off her gloves.
    â€œEsau told me your little girl was sick, Nelly.” Amelia’s mother referred to the butler at the big house. She took an apron from her basket. “Amelia and I have brought some medicine for you to use that should have her feeling better in no time.”
    â€œThank you, Mrs. Montgomery, Miss Amelia.” The older woman’s face was so dark that Amelia could barely make out her expression in the dim cabin.
    It was a shame they could not leave the door open to let light inside, but it was much too cold and the little girl was much too sick.
    â€œWhat do you want me to do, Mama?”
    Amelia’s mother sank to the ground next to the blanket and placed her hand on the child’s forehead. “I need you to measure out a spoonful of the butterfly root tea we brought. If we can get her to drink some, it will help with the fever and coughing.”
    Amelia opened the medicine bag her mother had helped her prepare, withdrew the warm bottle, and uncorked it, wrinkling her nose at the pungent smell.
    Mrs. Montgomery took the spoon from her as soon as Amelia filled it. She coaxed the child to open her mouth and tipped the spoon against her lips. The poor thing was so weak and sick she didn’t even react to what Amelia imagined was a very bitter dose.
    She took the spoon back from her mother. “Another one?”
    Her mother shook her head. “We don’t want to give her too much.” She laid the child back down on the blanket. “Hand me a towel.”
    Amelia drew out a pair of snowy white cotton towels and watched as her mother arranged them under the little girl’s head. “If you will keep her head up like this, Nelly, she will be able to breathe more easily.” She pushed herself up from the ground and dusted her hands together.
    â€œThank you, ma’am. I been so worried about my Sadie. She been gettin’ worse since Sunday.”
    â€œAnd rightly so.” Mrs. Montgomery took the bottle and spoon from Amelia. “It appears your child has pneumonia. You will need to give her one spoonful of this medicine every hour until you go to sleep tonight.”
    Amelia’s forehead wrinkled with doubt. “But, Mama, how will Nelly know when an hour has passed?”
    â€œDon’t you fret yourself, Miss Amelia. I knows how to watch the sun.”
    â€œI’m going to leave this basket with you, Nelly. There’s food inside for your family since you can’t work today and earn your portion. You’ll need to get one of the older women to watch after her tomorrow, though, so you can get back to work. Tell her to give your girl a spoonful at a time until this bottle is empty.”
    The woman thanked her mother yet again for her kind Christian heart even as the child started coughing and moaning once again.
    Amelia grabbed her skirts and followed her mother back outside. Cold winter air reddened her cheeks in the few steps it took for them to reach the family carriage. Once inside, she looked at her mother. “Will her child live?”
    â€œI don’t know, but we’ve done all we can.” Her mother shivered and pulled a thick fleece blanket over her lap. “We