A Catastrophe in One’s Own Life
Laura and Almanzo’s wedding was low-key due to the couple’s limited financial resources. Almanzo had diphtheria, an infection caused by germs that manifests itself with fevers, sore throats, and coughs only added insult to injury for them.
The state of Almanzo’s health deteriorated to the point where he was unable to carry on with his job as a wheat farmer. At precisely the same time Almanzo’s health began to decline, Laura discovered that she was expecting their second child. Their son passed away when their infant child was only two weeks old.