`` Years ago , when Meg did . Why ? '' `` Then I 'll tell you . Oh , Jo , the baby 's dead ! '' `` What baby ? '' `` Mrs. Hummel 's . It died in my lap before she got home , '' cried Beth with a sob . `` My poor dear , how dreadful for you ! I ought to have gone , '' said Jo , taking her sister in her arms as she sat down in her mother 's big chair , with a remorseful face . `` It was n't dreadful , Jo , only so sad ! I saw in a minute it was sicker , but Lottchen said her mother had gone for a doctor , so I took Baby and let Lotty rest . It seemed asleep , but all of a sudden if gave a little cry and trembled , and then lay very still . I tried to warm its feet , and Lotty gave it some milk , but it did n't stir , and I knew it was dead . '' `` Do n't cry , dear ! What did you do ? '' `` I just sat and held it softly till Mrs. Hummel came with the doctor . He said it was dead , and looked at Heinrich and Minna , who have sore throats . ` Scarlet fever , ma'am . Ought to have called me before , ' he said crossly . Mrs. Hummel told him she was poor , and had tried to cure baby herself , but now it was too late , and she could only ask him to help the others and trust to charity for his pay .
He smiled then , and was kinder , but it was very sad , and I cried with them till he turned round all of a sudden , and told me to go home and take belladonna right away , or I 'd have the XXXXX . ''
arms baby chair doctor feet fever lap mother others throats