Chapter 7
Finding New Friends
Although their hearts were thus sustained by faith in God, the journey on which Mary and her father now started was a long and painful one.
For days they were unable to find lodging, and the little money with which they had started was at last exhausted, and they had no prospect of earning more.
Although it was sorely against their will, they were at last compelled to ask for bread at the hands of charity.
Here again, they were made to feel the humiliation of their position; for in going from door to door, seeking for help which they so sorely needed, they met with scarcely anything but rebuffs, and sometimes indeed with abuse.
Often their meal consisted only of a small piece of dry bread, washed down by water from the nearest fountain.
A luxury would occasionally come their way in the shape of a little soup or some vegetables, and here and there, some scraps of meat or pastry, given to them by some kind-hearted housekeeper.
After days spent in this way, they were thankful at night to be allowed to sleep in a barn.
Up till now, Mary’s father had borne up with wonderful courage. One day, however, the distance which they had travelled was longer than usual, and the road which stretched before them seemed endless—unbroken by the sight of any village or human habitation.
Suddenly the old man began to feel very weak. His limbs tottered under him, and he fell, pale and speechless, on a heap of dry leaves at the foot of a hill covered with pine trees.
In great alarm for her father’s safety, and overwhelmed with grief, Mary ran hither and thither trying to find water, but in vain.
Thinking that her voice might be heard by someone in the neighbourhood she cried for help, but the echo alone answered her.
As far as she could see, in every direction the country was without human habitation.
Almost worn out with fatigue, she at last climbed to the top of the hill so that she might more readily discover any dwelling-place where help might be obtained.
It was then that she saw just behind the hill a small farmhouse surrounded by green meadows, and shut in on every side by forest. Hastily running down the hill, she arrived at the cottage out of breath, and with tears in her eyes asked assistance for her old father.
The farmer and his wife were kind-hearted people and were deeply touched at the sight of Mary’s agony.
“Put the horse to the little wagon,” said the farmer’s wife to her husband, “and we will bring this sick old man here.”
When the horse was harnessed the farmer’s wife put two mattresses, an earthen pitcher of water, and a bottle of vinegar into the wagon.
But when Mary heard that the wagon would require to go round the hill, and could not reach her father within half an hour, she took the water and vinegar in her hand and went by the short road across the hill so that she might sooner administer to her father’s needs.
Greatly to her joy, she found that her father had recovered a little and was now sitting at the foot of a pine tree.
The old man was greatly relieved to see his daughter, whose absence had caused him deep anxiety.
In a short time, the wagon arrived with the farmer and his wife. Placing James in the wagon they carried him to their home, where they gave him a clean little room, a closet, and a kitchen which were then unoccupied.
The old man’s illness had been caused solely by insufficient food, want of rest, and the fatigue of the journey.
With great kindness, the good farmer and his wife, who were poor people, sacrificed some of their usual luxuries so that they might have more money to spend on the things that James required to restore him to his usual health.
For instance, they had been in the habit of taking a trip every year to a fair in a neighbouring village; but when the time came around they agreed to remain at home so that they might save the cost of the journey, and spend the money thus saved in procuring some delicacies to tempt the old man’s appetite.
At this fresh proof of their kindness, Mary thanked them with tears of gratitude in her eyes.
“Oh,” said she, “truly there are kind people everywhere, and in the most unlikely places we find compassionate hearts.”
During the days when the old man was gradually recovering, Mary watched constantly at his bedside.
But with the habit of industry which she had practised, she filled up these hours with working for the farmer’s wife by knitting or sewing, and as may be imagined, this anxiety to help her benefactors, added to her modest and winning manner, gave great pleasure to the kind-hearted peasants.
By and by the care which had been bestowed upon James, and the nourishing food which he had got, began to tell upon him, and soon he was so far restored as to be able to get up out of bed.
As soon as he felt returning strength, he was desirous of doing something.
Resuming their old habits, Mary gathered for him branches of willow and hazel, and with these her father made a pretty little basket, which he offered to the farmer’s wife as a small token of gratitude.
When he felt himself quite recovered, he said to his hosts—
“We have been long enough a burden to you. It is time we should go and seek our fortunes elsewhere.”
“Why should you leave us, my good James?” said the farmer, taking the old man by the hand. “I hope we have not offended you in any way? The year is now far advanced; the winter is at the door. If you have any hardship again you will certainly be sick.”
James warmly assured them that the only motive he had for desiring to leave them was the fear that he and his daughter were burdensome.
“If that is all,” said the farmer heartily, “pray do not distress yourself further. The spare room which you occupy prevents you from being burdensome to us in the smallest degree, and you gain enough to supply your wants.”
“Yes, that is true,” added the farmer’s wife. “Mary alone earns enough with her needle to support you; and as for you, James, if you wish to exercise your trade of basket-maker, you will have your hands full. Not long since I took your pretty basket with me to the market, and all the countrywomen who saw it wished to have one like it. If you like I will procure customers, and I promise that you will not soon be in want of work.”
The old man and his daughter were only too glad to remain with their kind-hearted friends, who expressed themselves as thoroughly pleased with the new arrangement.✿