MORE SORROW
WHEN ALL WAS OVER, AND POOR Mary began her everyday work again, she was often plunged in deep sadness. She had loved her needle work when she was enlivened by her father's interesting conversation; but it was dreary work to sew or knit alone, with no companion but her own sad musings. Her busy fingers had worked joyfully when they were laboring for her father's comfort, but now all motive for exertion seemed taken away. She missed every day, more and more, his kind voice, his warm affection, his good counsels. Everything now looked gloomy; the dark firs in the wood round the farm appeared to be clothed in mourning. Perhaps it was well for Mary to be roused and prevented from brooding over her grief, even although this was done by new trials which came upon her.
Great changes took place at the Pine Farm soon after her father's death. The son of the farmer, who had been for some time absent from home, had told his parents shortly before of his intention to marry; and when his marriage took place, the old father and mother, longing for quiet and freedom from care in the end of their days, gave up the farm to their son, on condition of his providing for and taking care of them in their old age.
Their new daughter-in-law was rather pretty, and very rich, but she had no mental recommendation. She had two ruling passions—vanity of her beauty and the love of money. Conceit and avarice reigning in her heart, had, of course, engraven their lines on her face, so that, notwithstanding her good features, she had a most disagreeable expression. With such a woman at the head of the household, it may easily be believed that there was little comfort for anyone in the house. As she had no principle, and cared not for duty, she wholly disregarded her husband's father and mother. She seemed even to have a perverse pleasure in doing what they disliked; she provided nothing for their comfort, except what she was absolutely obliged to do, by the conditions on which her husband held the farm, and she seemed to grudge them every morsel.
The good old couple retired into the cottage formerly occupied by James and tried to keep out of their daughter-in-law's way as much as they could. This undutiful daughter was no better as a wife; for she who is undutiful in one relation of life seldom fails to be equally bad in all. She made her husband's life perfectly miserable. She reminded him perpetually of the large fortune she had brought him, which, she seemed to think, entitled her to treat him as her slave. She was jealous of his love for his parents and would hardly ever allow him to see them in peace. It was only when he could slip away unperceived that he ventured to go and sit with them and to relieve his mind by telling them of his troubles.
"My poor son," said the farmer, "we have all made a great mistake. You were foolishly caught by a pretty face; your mother was pleased with your intended bride's large fortune; and I, who ought to have known better, was foolish enough to yield to your united entreaties. Now we are all three punished for our folly. I wish I had taken good old James's advice on this subject.
"He never approved of this marriage. I well remember his words, for I have often thought of them since. Do you remember, wife, one day you said to him, 'Well, ten thousand florins is a good sum, something worth having!'
"'Not at all worth having,' said James, 'unless there is something better along with it. A good wife is indeed a treasure, "her price is far above rubies" (Prov. 31:1010Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. (Proverbs 31:10)), even if she has not a farthing of money. But unless your son marries a wife with the fear of God, her money will be only like a millstone round his neck, a burden which it will be a torture to bear, and which may even make him despicable in his own eyes. Why do you care so much for money? It is not a thing to be so greatly desired. Remember Agur's prayer:
"'Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me" (Prov. 30:88Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: (Proverbs 30:8)). There is great wisdom in this prayer. Remember also the saying of Paul: "They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil" (1 Thess. 6:9-10).'
"These were James's very words; I think I hear him still. You, my son, said to him one day, 'But you must confess that she is a beautiful creature, as bright and fresh as a rose.' And James replied, 'A rose is not merely beautiful; it is also fragrant and useful. From real flowers we get many useful things-honey, and wax, and perfume, and many more besides. But beauty without piety is like an artificial rose, a rose made of paper, a miserable imitation which has no other good quality. It pleases the eye at a distance, but grievously disappoints us on a nearer view, and is absolutely useless.'
Thus honest James warned us; but we did not listen to his advice, and we must now bear the consequences as well as we can. Since our misfortune is irrevocable, let us pray to God for patience, and bear it meekly."
Such were the conversations that passed between the farmer and his son. Poor Mary, in the meantime, had enough to suffer when placed under the authority of such a wicked woman. She was removed from the rooms which she and her father had occupied when the old couple took possession of them. There was plenty of room in the farmhouse, but she was lodged in the most uncomfortable garret. Her new employer seemed to take a pleasure in tormenting her; she gave her the meanest work to do and delighted in venting her own evil temper in scolding her. Nothing Mary could do would please.
The poor old couple pitied her, but they were unable to help her, except by their sympathy. In her distress she consulted the good minister of Erlenbrünnen. He said to her: "It is evident, my poor girl, that the Pine Farm is no longer a proper home for you. You have received an excellent education, and this is wasted where you are now. You are losing your time in doing the ordinary coarse work of a farm, and such work is beyond your strength, and will hurt your health. I will do all in my power to find a more suitable home for you, and I hope to be able to do so before long; but in the meantime, my poor Mary, pray to God to give you strength to bear your hard lot patiently and do not hastily try to escape from it, till His providence opens a way for you. He who has fitted you for a better place will remove you to it in His own good time. Trust in Him. 'Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass' (Psa. 37:55Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. (Psalm 37:5)). Be assured that I will do all in my power for you."
Mary thanked the good minister and promised to follow his advice. The only place the poor girl had now any peace was at her father's grave. She planted a rosebush over it. This rose tree was leafless when she planted it; it had nothing on it but thorns; but it soon began to bud and blossom, and in a little time it was in full blow. Mary remembered one of her father's lessons. "I will wait patiently," said she; "this is my time of thorns, but perhaps I shall yet see the fulfillment of the proverb: 'Time brings roses."