Only a Touch of Fever

 "Oooh, what happened? I'm so dizzy"

"Here now, Mary Ann, don't try to get up. You've had a touch of fever," Nancy replied.

"Oh mama, I feel so weak." Tears slid down Mary Ann's cheeks. 

"Now don't cry, daughter. You will feel just fine in a couple of days.  Try to drink this tea. It even has sugar in it." Nancy bustled around and set pillows behind Mary Ann's shoulders.

Mary Ann leaned against the pillows and sipped her tea. "This is so good, it almost tastes like lemonade."

"I squeezed the last lemon from Fort Laramie into the tea. With sugar, it has a sweet-tart flavor."

Posy of Wyoming wildflowers, for Mary Ann Sherrill, from 6 year old Mary Kyniston -
from BLM Wyoming Native Plants Program, see Footnote at end of page

"Did anyone else get sick, mama?"

"James was sick for two days, but he is well now, and little Mary Ann Kyniston has been sick but is well now."

"Oh no, how long have I been sick?"

"You fainted one week ago when we were camped at the ice sloughs. Your fever was very high, and it was fortunate we were camped where we had plenty of ice to help bring your fever down. Go back to sleep now, Mary Ann. When you wake up, I'll have some buffalo stew for you to try."

"Thank you mama." Mary Ann slid down the pillows and fell asleep wondering where they were now.

Footnote on "BlM Wyoming Native Plants"
Posy for Mary Ann is made up of Wyoming wildflowers:
Left to Right, the flowers are: (orange) Badlands mules-ears; (pink) Indian paintbrush;(orenge) - Badlands mules-ears again; (fading pink)Blazing star; (lavender) Fuzzy tongue penstemon