“Why what in the name of thunder ails you Esther?” asked Dan.  William and John exclaimed in the same breath, “She’s mad!”

Olive was speechless with amazement, while they stood looking at the girl, not knowing what to do to relieve her terrible agony.  She became very pale and seemed to be growing weak; in fact, she became so weak in a short time that she had to be assisted to the bed.  After sitting on the edge of the bed for a moment, and gazing about the room with a vacant stare, she started to her feet with a wild yell, and said she felt like bursting into pieces.

“Great Heavens,” exclaimed Olive, “What shall we do with her; she is crazy?”

Jane, who always retains her presence of mind, took her sister’s hand and said in a soothing tone:  “Come Esther, get into bed again.”  As they found that she could not do so without assistance, Olive and Jane helped her, and placed the bed clothing over her again.  As soon as she had been assisted to bed she said in a low choking voice, “I am swelling up and shall certainly burst, I know I shall.”

Dan looked at her face and remarked in a startled tone.  “Why, the girl is swelling, Olive, just look at her, look at her hands too, see how swollen they are, and she is as hot as fire.”

She was literally burning up with fever, and yet as pale as death, while only a few minutes before her face was as red as blood, and her entire person as cold as ice.  What a strange case, pale when hot, and blood red when cold, yet such was really the fact.

While the family stood looking at her, wondering what would relieve her, for her entire body had swollen to an enormous size and she was screaming with pain and grinding her teeth as if in a fit, a loud report like thunder was heard in the room.  They all started to their feet instantly and seemed paralyzed with fear.

“My God!” exclaimed Olive, “the house has been struck by lightning and I know my poor boys are killed?”

After giving vent to this exclamation, she rushed from the room to her own where the children were, and found them both sleeping soundly, so she returned to the room where they all stood looking at Esther, and wondering what had produced the terrible sound.  On entering, Olive told them that the boys were both sound asleep.

“I wonder what that awful noise was?” she said.  Going to the window and raising the curtain she saw that the stars were shining brightly and was then satisfied that it had not been thunder they had heard.  Just as she let the curtain drop, three terrific reports were heard, apparently directly under the bed.  They were so loud that the whole room shook, and Esther who a moment before had been swollen to such an enormous size, immediately assumed her natural appearance, and sank into a state of calm repose.  As soon as they found that it was sleep and not death that had taken possession of her, they all left the room except Jane, who went back to bed beside her sister, but could not sleep a wink for the balance of the night.