Free Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons by Ann Rinaldi Page A

governor adjourned the General Court. Everything was in a state of mayhem. And the Wheatleys were no different.
    By the last week in February, the pesthouses were full. And it seemed as if every other house on our street flew a smallpox flag.
    Aunt Cumsee sprinkled sulfur all over the house. It smelled horrible. Then she took to smoking a pipe and puffing smoke all over the place.
    "Things can't get much worse," Mr. Wheatley said. We were taking our main meal—at two during the winter, because the light was better. "Isn't the pox enough? Now we hear that Harvard Hall has burned down."
    "Things can and will get worse if we don't get inoculated," Nathaniel said.
    "Inoculated?" Mrs. Wheatley dropped her spoon. "You heard what Reverend Sewall said about that. If God sent the pox to scourge His people, what He desired was not inoculation but repentance!"
    "With all due respect for the good reverend, Mrs. Wheatley," her husband said, "if God gave us the intelligence to discover inoculation, I am sure He wishes us to seize the remedy and use it."
    I had heard the Reverend Sewall's passionate sermon. I shivered, knowing I was one of the sinners for whom God had visited the disease upon us.
    I had taken too readily to the Koomi ways, too easily forgiven them for enslaving my people. I had fallen prey to their soft words, their riches, their gifts.
    I had never repented for disobeying my mother and running off to meet with Obour that morning. My mother was dead because of it.
    "We must pray," Mrs. Wheatley was saying.
    "We can do that better if we live than if we die,"
her husband answered. "And apparently many others agree. They are pouring into town for inoculation."
    "The selectmen have agreed to let the inhabitants try it, Mother," Nathaniel said carefully.
    "But it's dangerous!"
    "What choice do we have, Mother?" he asked. "Boston fought against inoculation in the epidemic of twenty-one, but we are now ready. Dr. Sprague has agreed to come to the house and do it. He and Drs. Warren, Kast, Perkins, and Lloyd are wearying themselves to the bone, inoculating people all over town. Dr. Clark is doing it free for the poor."
    Of a sudden Mary gave a choking sob. "What about John?"
    "Reverend Lathrop has already been inoculated, Mary," Nathaniel told her. "He sent word to the countinghouse that he did it to give good example."
    "Then I can do no less," Mary said.
    "Brave girl," Nathaniel told her.
    Mary nodded, white faced.
    "Then you have made arrangements?" his mother asked.
    "Sprague comes tonight," Nathaniel said.
    At that moment we heard a yowl and a great crashing sound. It came from the kitchen. We got up and ran.
    Aunt Cumsee lay on the floor. Sulie stood over her, screaming.
    Prince, Nathaniel, and Mr. Wheatley lifted Aunt Cumsee to bed. By the end of the day we knew she had the pox.
    Mr. Wheatley went to the selectmen for a flag to put out in front of our house. And a guard.
    I went to my room and closed my door. I would not be inoculated. I was not afraid, no. It was more than that. God had sent the disease to scourge me. He wanted repentance! And now Aunt Cumsee was sick. I must repent and save her.

Chapter Thirteen
    In a little while I heard the Wheatleys come upstairs. They were arguing.
    "It is the work of the Lord to attend the sick!" Mrs. Wheatley wailed.
    "It is the work of the devil to expose yourself to disease! No one is to go near Aunt Cumsee! Even she knows better. You heard her ask Nathaniel to send for her sister. She's had the disease already and is in no danger."
    I whimpered.
    "Poor dear," Mrs. Wheatley moaned. "I knew we shouldn't have sent her out for food. Oh, how will we manage without her?"
    "Sulie can do for us. She is in charge of the house now. Go and rest until Dr. Sprague comes."
    I heard her door close. He went back downstairs. I stood looking out the window of my room as the town crier went by.
    "Distemper spreading through town! Inoculation at Province House! Inoculation! With the blessing of all