August 16th, 1793

• Matilda is in shock that Polly, her former playmate and "cradle friend," is totally gone (3.2).
• Matilda's mother explains to both Matilda and Eliza that there was no doctor present at Polly's death. The girl had simply taken a fever and then died in bed. Mother mentions that a man living across the alley is also sick.
• Matilda closes her eyes and imagines Polly as she was: happy, and with her beau Matthew.
• Eliza suggests that Mattie (Matilda's nickname) take a ham over to the grieving family, but Mother doesn't want her to get exposed to the sickness.
• Matilda's mother also forbids her from attending the funeral. Mattie is angered by this and lashes out. She's then made to apologize to her mother, "the captain I had to obey" (3.25).