December 1, 1760

Dear Diary, 

Today my life started as it does allways.  I woke up with the sun.  The smell of the food made for me by my servant brought me out of bed.  My husband is away, like always.  I certainly do not miss him.  I sent the maid to bring my friend Anna over.  Anna does not work.  She brought her newborn over and sat in the corner while I made some medicine with my mortar and pestle and sold it.  Anna is nineteen, only a year older than I.  We have been friends since we were little girls and played with dolls.  Today, we talked about dresses and gossiped.  I did not wish to leave the shop today in the freezing rain, so sent my husband’s apprentice to do the chores.  The fifteen year old is all but useful.  He will not be as good an apothecary as my husband.  Anyway, there was little business today until the door was pushed open by someone I knew well.

“My goodness William, you’ve almost broke my door!” I laughed, but as soon as I saw his face I stopped smiling.  He had a couple little pink dots on his pale neck and face.  His blonde hair was dark brown.  My little brother was not laughing and had on a hard face.

“Charlotte Moore, I think I’m sick,” he said  in a voice much lower than own. He forced a smile, but I could tell he was in pain.

“Does your throat hurt?  What about your stomach?  And your head?” I felt his forehead, it was covered in sweat.  He responded, “Deeply, no and less so.”

“Scarlet fever I suppose,” I offered, but I wasn’t sure.  I ran over to the cabinet with the already made medicine.  I began reading the handwritten labels.  Some are new, but others have been used for years and are peeling at the edges. Most of the bottles are small and made of clear glass, but there are some large ones and some colored ones.  I can smell the huge aroma lifting from the different medicines trapped in the cabinet.  Unfortunately, the medicine I needed was not there.  The door opened again and a old man came in and asked for some lavender.  I mostly ignored him until he asked again and I sent him away.  He deserved it though.  Lavender heals the soul.  This man is not innocent he had done something and is being punished by God.  I finally gave up my search in the cabinet.

“Tell me everything!” I said to William while running over to the small garden right outside my window.  I picked the herbs he needed and began grinding them in the smaller, less used, mortar and pestle.  Unlike the bigger stone mortar and pestle, this one has not been used in days and does not have as much leftover medicine on the sides and bottom.

“I helped Mr. Smith tend to his animals for the past few weeks.  Though, I think I became ill two days ago.”  I wanted to laugh at the normalness of his story, but I couldn’t because of the worry eating in my stomach.  My brother had always been the most outgoing and wild child in his school so the story came as a shock.  I remember Anna saying that he would get himself killed when he was seven and we were ten.  I remember laughing, but not thinking it was funny.  I finished making the medicine, put in in a small pouch of cloth and sent William on his way for free.  For no sick family of mine should have to pay.