Fever 1793: Chapter 2 Summary & Analysis

As soon as Mattie enters the kitchen, Mother resumes lecturing her about oversleeping. Mattie, trying not to listen, sits down in the spacious kitchen. Her family is just herself, Mother, and Grandfather, plus their employee, Eliza; together, they run the Cook Coffeehouse. Mattie’s father, a carpenter, had built their home and business after the War ended in 1783, when Mattie was only four. Now that President Washington lives just two blocks away, business has picked up.

Mattie’s father had fallen off a ladder and died of a broken neck soon after the coffeehouse opened. At that point, Mattie’s Grandfather, Lucille’s father-in-law, joined the household. A coffeehouse is considered to be “a respectable business” for a widow. Mother won’t serve spirits, but she allows card-playing and gambling as long as it’s kept out of her sight. Gentlemen, merchants, and politicians fill the front room each day to enjoy coffee and sweets. Mattie knows her father would be proud of their success, and she wonders what he would have thought of her.

Eliza interrupts and offers Mattie breakfast; Mattie, as usual, is starving. Eliza’s fine cooking is a key to the coffeehouse’s success. If it weren’t for that, the Cooks would be in trouble: Mother’s family disowned her when she eloped with Mattie’s father at 17.

Like most black people in Philadelphia, Eliza is free. Eliza says that Philadelphia is the best city for freed slaves. This is partly because of the Quaker influence. Mattie sees that black people are treated differently than white people. Eliza had been born a slave in Virginia. Her husband purchased her freedom after they were married; then Eliza moved to Philadelphia so she could earn money to do the same for him. When Mattie was eight, Eliza learned that her husband had been killed by a runaway horse.

Both Lucille and Eliza “supped sorrow with a big spoon,” but while Eliza eventually smiled again, Mother “turned sour.” Mattie considers Eliza to be her best friend. Eliza is good at keeping secrets and telling stories. Today she gives Mattie a bowl of oatmeal with a hidden lump of sugar.

Mattie asks why Polly is late. She speculates that Polly is hanging around her crush, Matthew, the blacksmith’s son. Eliza suggests that Polly might be sick—there are rumors of sickness near the river. Mother says that “serving girls don’t get sick” and storms off to search for Polly, ordering Mattie to tend the garden in her absence. First, though, Eliza gives Mattie more food. Mattie lingers in the kitchen, enjoying the smells of Eliza’s gingerbread baking, until Eliza shoos her outside, calling her “little Mattie”—a nickname Mattie resents.

Outside, the garden is drought-stricken and drooping. Mattie fills the bucket while thinking, “Little Mattie, indeed.” She daydreams about traveling to France someday, bringing back fabrics and jewelry to sell. She hopes to own “an entire city block” someday—a dry goods store, a restaurant, and an apothecary, just for starters. Grandfather tells Mattie she is “a Daughter of Liberty, a real American girl.” Mattie looks forward to “[steering] her own ship” and being called “Ma’am.” To her annoyance, Mattie notices she’s just watered a row of weeds instead of potatoes.

Mother returns. She has spoken with Mistress Logan, Polly’s mother. Mistress Logan kept repeating, “[Polly] sewed by candlelight after dinner.” Then Polly collapsed. Mattie drops the bucket in shock as Mother tells her, “Matilda, Polly’s dead.”