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good。 But thee mustna undervally prayer。 Prayer mayna bring
money； but it brings us what no money can buy—a power to keep
from sin and be content with God’s will； whatever He may please
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to send。 If thee wouldst pray to God to help thee； and trust in His
goodness； thee wouldstna be so uneasy about things。”
“Unaisy？ I’m i’ th’ right on ’t to be unaisy。 It’s well seen on thee
what it is niver to be unaisy。 Thee ’t gi’ away all thy earnins； an’
niver be unaisy as thee ’st nothin’ laid up again’ a rainy day。 If
Adam had been as aisy as thee； he’d niver ha’ had no money to pay
for thee。 Take no thought for the morrow—take no thought—that’s
what thee ’t allays sayin’； an’ what comes on ’t？ Why； as Adam has
to take thought for thee。”
“Those are the words o’ the Bible； Mother；” said Seth。 “They
don’t mean as we should be idle。 They mean we shouldn’t be
overanxious and worreting ourselves about what’ll happen to…
morrow； but do our duty and leave the rest to God’s will。”
“Aye； aye； that’s the way wi’ thee： thee allays makes a peck o’
thy own words out o’ a pint o’ the Bible’s。 I donna see how thee ’t
to know as ’take no thought for the morrow’ means all that。 An’
when the Bible’s such a big book； an’ thee canst read all thro’t； an’
ha’ the pick o’ the texes； I canna think why thee dostna pick better
words as donna mean so much more nor they say。 Adam doesna
pick a that’n； I can understan’ the tex as he’s allays a…sayin’； ‘God
helps them as helps theirsens。’”
“Nay； Mother；” said Seth； “that’s no text o’ the Bible。 It comes
out of a book as Adam picked up at the stall at Treddles’on。 It was
wrote by a knowing man； but overworldly； I doubt。 However； that
saying’s partly true； for the Bible tells us we must be workers
together with God。”
“Well； how’m I to know？ It sounds like a tex。 But what’s th’
matter wi’ th’ lad？ Thee ’t hardly atin’ a bit o’ supper。 Dostna
mean to ha’ no more nor that bit o’ oat…cake？ An’ thee lookst as
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white as a flick o’ new bacon。 What’s th’ matter wi’ thee？”
“Nothing to mind about； Mother； I’m not hungry。 I’ll just look in
at Adam again； and see if he’ll let me go on with the coffin。”
“Ha’ a drop o’ warm broth？” said Lisbeth； whose motherly
feeling now got the better of her “nattering” habit。 “I’ll set two…
three sticks a…light in a minute。”
“Nay； Mother； thank thee； thee ’t very good；” said Seth；
gratefully； and encouraged by this touch of tenderness； he went
on： “Let me pray a bit with thee for Father； and Adam； and all of
us—it’ll comfort thee； happen； more than thee thinkst。”
“Well； I’ve nothin’ to say again’ it。”
Lisbeth； though disposed always to take the negative side in her
conversations with Seth； had a vague sense that there was some
comfort and safety in the fact of his piety； and that it somehow
relieved her from the trouble of any spiritual transactions on her
own behalf。
So the mother and son knelt down together； and Seth prayed
for the poor wandering father and for those who were sorrowing
for him at home。 And when he came to the petition that Adam
might never be called to set up his tent in a far country； but that
his mother might be cheered and comforted by his presence all the
days of her pilgrimage； Lisbeth’s ready tears flowed again； and she
wept aloud。
When they rose from their knees； Seth went to Adam again and
said； “Wilt only lie down for an hour or two； and let me go on the
while？”
“No； Seth； no。 Make Mother go to bed； and go thyself。”
Meantime Lisbeth had dried her eyes； and now followed Seth；
holding something in her hands。 It was the brown…and…yellow
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platter containing the baked potatoes with the gravy in them and
bits of meat which she had cut and mixed among them。 Those
were dear times； when wheaten bread and fresh meat were
delicacies to working people。 She set the dish down rather timidly
on the bench by Adam’s side and said； “Thee canst pick a bit while
thee ’t workin’。 I’ll bring thee another drop o’ water。”
“Aye； Mother； do；” said Adam； kindly； “I’m getting very
thirsty。”
In half an hour all was quiet； no sound was to be heard in the
house but the loud ticking of the old day…clock and the ringing of
Adam’s tools。 The night was very still： when Adam opened the
door to look out at twelve o’clock； the only motion seemed to be in
the glowing； twinkling stars； every blade of grass was asleep。
Bodily haste and exertion usually leave our thoughts very much
at the mercy of our feelings and imagination； and it was so to…night
with Adam。 While his muscles were working lustily； his mind
seemed as passive as a spectator at a diorama： scenes of the sad
past； and probably sad future； floating before him and giving place
one to the other in swift sucession。
He saw how it would be to…morrow morning； when he had
carried the coffin to Broxton and was at home again； having his
breakfast： his father perhaps would come in ashamed to meet his
son’s glance—would sit down； looking older and more tottering
than he had done the morning before； and hang down his head；
examining the floor…quarries； while Lisbeth would ask him how he
supposed the coffin had been got ready； that he had slinked off
and left undone—for Lisbeth was always the first to utter the word
of reproach； although she cried at Adam’s severity towards his
father。
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“So it will go on； worsening and worsening；” thought Adam；
“there’s no slipping uphill again； and no standing still when once
you’ve begun to slip down。” And then the day came back to him
when he was a little fellow and used to run by his father’s side；
proud to be taken out to work； and prouder still to hear his father
boasting to his fellow…workmen how “the little chap had an
uncommon notion o’ carpentering。” What a fine active fellow his
father was then！ When people asked Adam whose little lad he was；
he had a sense of distinction as he answered； “I’m Thias Bede’s
lad。” He was quite sure everybody knew Thias Bede—didn’t he
make the wonderful pigeon…house at Broxton parsonage？ Those
were happy days； especially when Seth； who was three years the
younger； began to go out working too； and Adam began to be a
teacher as well as a learner。 But then came the days of sadness；
when Adam was someway on in his teens； and Thias began to
loiter at the public…houses； and Lisbeth began to cry at home； and
to pour forth her plaints in the hearing of her sons。 Adam
remembered well the night of shame and anguish when he first
saw his father quite wild and foolish； shouting a song out fitfully
among his drunken companions at the “Waggon Overthrown。” He
had run away once when he was only eighteen； making his escape
in the morning twilight with a little blue bundle over his shoulder；
and his “mensuration book” in his pocket； and saying to himself
very decidedly that he could bear the vexations of home no
longer—he would go and seek his fortune； s