The great amount of water poured over him
to revive him had run down his body, and the many pads in the maiden
Aunt's garment absorbed the water. Alfred complained of feeling cold.

Someone whispered behind him: "That's a bad sign. When that Jones boy
got throwed off a horse, nobody thought he wus hurt much but he turned
cold just afore he died."

Aaron Todd stood at his gate with a cynical smile spreading over the
small expanse of face not hidden by whiskers. He viewed the plight of
the boy with evident pleasure. As Alfred, with the assistance of his
companions, entered the gate leading to his home, Todd elevated his
nose, and turning about as though to enter his house, sneeringly
muttered: "Dad-burn him; he got a dose of his own medicine. Ho, ho, ho;
chickens comes home to roost, don't they?"

Lin led the way, as she commanded. "Kum on in through the kitchen, it
won't du fur ye tu track over the front room carpet."

With bowed head, leaning on his companions, Alfred limped to the kitchen
door. Bindley and Charley disrobed him. Placing a big, tin vessel in the
middle of the kitchen floor, they soused Alfred into it.

There was not a bath room, private or public, in Brownsville in those
days. Wash tubs were used in winter, the creek and river in summer. Once
there came an oldish, high-toned lady from Richmond. She lodged with
Isaac Vance at the Marshall House. He bought a new carpet and other fine
furnishings for her room. It was an unusually warm summer. One day Vance
noticed the colored porter carrying a tub to the lady's room: "Yer, yer,
where yer goin' with thet tub?" demanded the proprietor of the hotel.
"I'se jes carryin' it up tu Mrs. So and So's room," answered the colored
man. "What's she goin' to do with thet tub this hot weather" inquired
the landlord. "I reckon she's gwine to wash herself; she sed she's gwine
to take a bath, I ges dat's washin' herself." "Huh!" snorted Vance, "not
in this house in this weather. Ef it wus winter I wouldn't mind it, but
I won't have her floppin' aroun' up thar like a dam ole goose, splashin'
water all over thet new carpet. Take thet tub back to the cellar, an'
you go up an' tell her ef she needs a wash to go to the crik like I do."

Alfred was put to bed. The doctor, after careful examination, declared
no bones were broken, there were bad bruises and might be internal
injuries. However, it would require several days to fully determine,
meanwhile the patient must be kept