Mrs. Putnam came of the old stock which considered it a virtue to suffer
and be silent, rather than call out and be saved. So she lay for five
long hours suffering intense pain, but declaring to herself, with all
the sturdiness of an old Roman warrior or an Indian chief, that she
would not ask for any assistance "till it wuz time for folks to git up."
This delay was fatal, or was destined to become so, but she did not know
it; she had had colds before, and she had always got well. Why should'nt
she now? It is a strange vagary of old people to consider themselves
just as young as they used to be, notwithstanding their advanced years.
To the majority of the old people, the idea of death is not so appalling
as the inability to work and the incapacity to enjoy the customary
pleasures of life.
Mrs. Putnam had always been an active, energetic woman until she had
lost her power to walk as the result of rheumatic fever; in fact, it was
always acknowledged and said by the country folk that she was the better
half of the matrimonial firm of Silas and Hepsibeth Putnam.
Pages:
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493