Page:New winter evening's companion, of fun, mirth, and frolic.pdf/12

12 began to fondle her dying patient, and begged of him to think of something or other that he thought he could eat or drink, and let it be what it would, she would get him it presently; at last he lifted up his languishing eyes, and staring her full in the face, cried out as loud as he was able to speak, Toasted cheese. With that she ran in all haste to the next chandler, notwithstanding she thought it strange food for a dying man in a fever, yet she resolved he should have it; and accordingly bought a pound of good old Cheshire, and cooked it so agreeably to her Welch patient's tooth, that he eat up every bit, to the nurse's great astonishment. She then asked him, What he thought he could drink? He told her then, with a much stronger voice than before, A gallon of leek-pottage. The nurse finding the toasted cheese agree so well with her patient ran immediately to the herb-stall for a bunch of leeks, and brewed him up a gallon of Welch caudle presently, which, as soon as it was cool enough for his palate, he drank off, and then turning his face from the light, composed himself to rest, and slept heartily till the next morning, and when he awaked, was so extremely mended, that the nurse had great hopes of his recovery.

In the afternoon, the doctor happening to come that way in his coach, gave a look up at his chamber, expecting the dead signal, that is, the windows to be open, but finding them shut, stopped his coach, and stepped up stairs to see how matters went, and coming into the chamber, found the patient he had given over but the day before, to his great astonishment getting out of bed. The doctor was perfectly amazed at this unexpected