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 a 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 some one 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 in order 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 in the little waggon," 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 waggon. But
when Mary heard that the waggon 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 in
order that she might the sooner minister 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 waggon arrived with the farmer and his wife.
Placing James in the waggon they carried him to their home, where they
gave him a clean little room, and 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 in order that they might have more money to spend on the
things which 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 round they
agreed to remain at home 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.