Mattie continues to daydream about her crush, Nathaniel Benson, and about running her own businesses someday, but she’s interrupted by Mother again-this time with the news that Polly has died suddenly of a fever.
Eliza, the coffeehouse cook and Mattie’s closest confidant, serves her a generous breakfast but quickly shoos her outside to tend the garden. Mattie would rather daydream about escaping Philadelphia, much like Blanchard’s hot-air balloon which flew earlier that year, but she reluctantly complies. Mattie is needed immediately to help in their coffeehouse, since their serving girl, Polly, is late for work. Everyone has a good laugh about this.In August, 1793, 14-year-old Matilda “Mattie” Cook is awakened by her mother, Lucille Cook, scolding her for sleeping late. As Matilda is bidding Eliza farewell, Grandfather appears dressed in his regimental jacket, ready for the trip.The next day Mattie and Grandfather set off for the country on a dilapidated old wagon with a farmer and his wife and baby.There's also a very sweet note about balloons from none other than Nathaniel Benson. A package arrives at the coffeehouse for Matilda: inside is a painting of "delicate flowers, bright blue, lavender and red" (10.52).Meanwhile Mattie tries to convince Eliza to let her stay – no luck whatsoever. Grandfather is to accompany Mattie, so he leaves to hire a coach.Kerr and Grandfather decide that it's best to send Matilda out of the city to the Ludingtons' farm after all.
(Doesn't sound like such a good idea to us.) He also advises that she be given jalap and calomel to help "purge" the disease (10.23). He takes ten ounces of blood and promises to come back tomorrow to take another ten. Benjamin Rush, decides that Mother must be bled. Rowley an "imposter" and declares that Matilda's mother most definitely has yellow fever (10.12).
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