Sumary: Chapters 18-21

Chapter 18

Since Matilda and Grandfather were safely back at their home, they took advantage of the food, warm water, and serenity for a minute. Mattie let Grandfather sleep softly as she gathered a few things for them to eat and cleaned up the kitchen. When Grandfather was done resting, they both talked and wondered about where Eliza and Mother were. Mattie prayed and they both fell asleep for the night.

Chapter 19

            Mattie woke in the middle of the night when she heard weird sounds and footsteps in her house. Two men had climbed in through the window and were looking to take what was left of their belongings. They both figured that no one was home because the house still looked deserted. Then men took Mattie’s prized chess set along with more items they found. They started handling Grandfather’s sword. That’s when Mattie stood out of bed and away from hiding. She knew they could not take the sword. She ran through the kitchen and through the yard to get help, but the men caught up to her. Grandfather heard the commotion and woke up to step in. One of the men pushed Grandfather to the ground. Grandfather got ahold of his gun and by the time he counted to three, he fired at the taller man, but missed. After more fighting, the men fled. At the end of the chapter, Grandfather could no longer hold on, and passed away.

Chapter 20

            This chapter starts out with Mattie hearing a man outside. He was pushing a cart carrying two corpses. He was asking for the dead. With much hesitation, Mattie decided to bring her Grandfather down to the man. She walked with him to the place where they have been burying everyone. Before burying Grandfather, Mattie prayed out loud with the other men there. After the prayers, Mattie wandered the street looking for signs of life. She also wanted to find Mother. In order to do this, she entered the Federal Gazette office in hopes of putting an advertisement in the paper. After being turned down because of the lack of paper, Mattie left the store. She continued down the street in search of Mother.

Chapter 21

Mattie came across a doll on the ground which belonged to a young girl, Nell. Mattie brought Nell along with her during the search for signs of Mother. During her search, they surprisingly found Eliza. Mattie and Eliza gave each other big hugs as the chapter closes.

Summary: Chapters 13-17

Chapter 13:

                Mattie awakes on the side of the road where the farmer left Mattie and her grandfather to find that grandfather is still very sick. She gets up to get more water for herself and grandfather. When she gets to the stream she enjoys how cold the water is on her bare feet. As Mattie stands in the stream she starts to think about Nathaniel. At the stream Mattie also tries to get food for her and grandfather. She finds some berries by the stream and also sees fish swimming through the stream. She takes off her petticoat and decides to try to catch a fish. As she is about to catch a trout, King George gets in her face and knocks her into the stream. Mattie doesn’t catch any fish but brings back berries for her and grandfather to eat. She also went to search for a farm to get some food, but when the farmer sees her coming he runs into his house and locks Mattie out. The farmer does not want any fever victims around his house and family. On the way back to grandfather from the farm Mattie starts to find some fruit trees. Before she makes it back to grandfather, Mattie starts feeling the fruit in her hands get real heavy. Before she can make it back to grandfather, Mattie passes out.

Chapter 14:

                Mattie started having weird dreams at the beginning of the chapter from her spout with the fever. When Mattie finally woke up she found herself in Bush Hill hospital. The Bush Hill hospital was a hospital for victims of the yellow fever. When Mattie found out where she was she began to freak out because Bush Hill was not an acceptable place for her. The nurse who had been taking care of her, Mrs. Flagg, explained that Bush Hill was under new management. Stephen Girad had put all new French doctors in Bush Hill and brought in all kinds of supplies to the new and improved Bush Hill. Mrs. Flagg said it was not Mr. Girad that knew how to cure the fever but instead that it was the French doctors who knew how to cure the fever.  Grandfather was healthy enough again and he began flirting with Mrs. Flagg. Grandfather also explained to Matilda that he had returned home to see the shop locked up with no sign of Mother, and had not heard from her since they left.

Chapter 15:

                After 10 days of being at Bush Hill, Mattie was moved out to the barn. Mattie was more alert and started asking more questions about what would happen next, but nobody answered her questions. The barn was a relief for Mattie because it didn’t have people who were yelling out in pain or people telling horrible stories of what is going on in the outside world. Even at this stage, she is still worried about Nathaniel.  Grandfather was still helping out around Bush Hill. Grandfather was helping serve food and burn the soiled mattresses and sheets. After 6 more days of being in the barn, Mattie is released from Bush Hill. As the clerk was discharging Mattie he tried to send her to the orphanage. Grandfather told the clerk that as long as he was alive nobody in his family would be going to the orphanage. The clerk seemed disappointed because he was really pushing the orphanage.

Chapter 16:

                Mattie and grandfather took a wagon home to Philadelphia. Mrs. Bowles was also in the wagon and she also was trying to convince Mattie to come to the orphanage. Mrs. Bowles promised Mattie food, clothing, warmth as well as wages for the help she would be offering. Mrs. Bowles said that Mattie should help out because she already had the fever, so she couldn’t get sick again. As the trip continued back to Philadelphia she began to see just what the fever has done to the city. She sees dead people thrown out of their houses by their families, as well as people getting buried with a coffin.

Chapter 17:

                Mattie and grandfather return to the coffee house to see that the place has been ransacked. There are broken chairs and broken pottery all over the floors. The clock and candle sticks are missing, as well as all the food the Eliza had stocked up on. Mattie then rushed upstairs to find that nothing had been taking from the upstairs and the strong box is safe. There is still no sign of Eliza or Mother though. Mattie sends grandfather to bed because his face his red, he is breathing heavy, and his arm isn’t responding. She has decided to clean up the coffee house and find food from the garden all by herself. Mattie was only able to find a few green beans and some squash that the mice had already starting eating. Mattie thought that the green beans had tasted a little bad, then she remembered she hadn’t prayed yet.