That summer Aunt Rebecca became ill. Millie volunteered to take care of

her.

"She ain't got no child to do for her," said the hired girl, "and abody

feels forlorn when you're sick. I'll go tend her if you want."

"Oh, Millie, I'd be so glad if you'd go! Strangers might be ugly to

her, for she's a little hard to get along with. And I can't do it to

take care of her."

"You--well, I guess you ain't strong enough to do work like that. If

she gets real sick she'll have to be lifted around and she ain't too

light, neither. If you and Amanda can shift here I'll just pack my

telescope and go right over to Landisville."

So Millie packed and strapped her old gray telescope and went to wait

on the sick woman.

She found Aunt Rebecca in bed, very ill, with a kind neighbor

ministering to her.

"My goodness, Millie," she greeted the newcomer, "I never was so glad

to see anybody like I am you! You pay this lady for her trouble. My

money is in the wash-stand drawer. Lock the drawer open and get it out"

After the neighbor had been paid and departed Millie and the sick woman

were left alone. "Millie," said Aunt Rebecca, "you stay with me till I

go. Ach, you needn't tell me I'll get well. I know I'm done for. I

don't want a lot o' strangers pokin' round in my things and takin' care

of me. I'm crabbit and they don't have no patience."

"Ach, you'll be around again in no time," said Millie cheerfully.

"Don't you worry. I'll run everything just like it ought to be. I'll

tend you so good you'll be up and about before you know it."

"I'm not so easy fooled. I won't get out of this room till I'm carried

out, I know. My goodness, abody thinks back over a lot o' things when

you get right sick once! I made a will, Millie, and a pretty good one,"

the sick woman laughed as if in enjoyment of a pleasant secret. Her

nurse attributed the laughter to delirium. But Aunt Rebecca went on,

astonishing the other woman more and deepening the conviction that the

strange talk was due to flightiness.

"Yes, I made a will! Some people'll say I was crazy, but you tell them

for me I'm as sane as any one. My goodness, can't abody do what abody

wants with your own money? Didn't I slave and scratch and skimp like

everything all my life! And you bet I'm goin' to give that there money

just where I want!"

"Ach, people always fuss about wills. It gives them something to talk

about," said Millie, thinking argument useless.

"Yes, it won't worry me. I won't hear it. I have it all fixed where and

how I want to be buried, and all about the funeral. I want to have a

nice funeral, eat in the meeting-house, and have enough to eat, too. I

was to a funeral once and everything got all before all the people had

eaten. I was close livin', but I ain't goin' to be close dead."




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