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Coolidge, Susan, 1835-1905

"What Katy Did"


"Oh, must I go to bed?" said Katy. "How long will I have to stay
there, doctor?"
"That depends on how fast you get well," replied the doctor; "not long,
I hope. Perhaps only a few days.
"A few days!" repeated Katy, in a despairing tone.
After the doctor was gone, Aunt Izzie and Debby lifted Katy, and carried
her slowly up stairs. It was not easy, for every motion hurt her, and
the sense of being helpless hurt most of all. She couldn't help crying
after she was undressed and put into bed. It all seemed so dreadful and
strange. If only Papa was here, she thought. But Dr. Carr had gone into
the country to see somebody who was very sick, and couldn't possibly be
back till to-morrow.
Such a long, long afternoon as that was! Aunt Izzie sent up some dinner,
but Katy couldn't eat. Her lips were parched and her head ached
violently. The sun began to pour in, the room grew warm. Flies buzzed in
the window, and tormented her by lighting on her face. Little prickles
of pain ran up and down her back. She lay with her eyes shut, because it
hurt to keep them open, and all sorts of uneasy thoughts went rushing
through her mind.
"Perhaps, if my back is really sprained, I shall have to lie here as
much as a week," she said to herself.


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