Bette Has Pneumonia

When my next sister after Jennie was born, my mamma wanted to name her for her sister's dead child, so she named her. None of us would call her this name until later when we could tease her with it. She hated it also, so we called her Bette. She is still Bette.

When she was very young, maybe twelve years old, she came down with pneumonia. Then treatment was not so advanced for pneumonia as it is today. She lay with such a high fever for days we all thought we would lose her.

My pappa did what he always did when we were sick; he offered her anything she wanted to eat. Of course, she did not eat much of anything for days. Her temperature was so high she lost her hair. That made me very sad for no one had wigs then.

My mamma made her a little bonnet to wear until her hair grew back. She was teased a lot by the other kids. Kids can be cruel. Her hair grew back so curly and pretty she looked like a doll.

I helped my mamma with her a lot, to the point that I even spanked her. When Sadie's children came to us, no one wanted to spank or discipline them. They felt sorry for them, and I did also. But I loved them and they had to be made to mind, so I did spank them with love.