Because of the long ordeal with her mother and the stress of the final confrontation, Ethelwyn quickly loses her health and is in danger of dying from weakness. Mr. Walton leaves her to his sister and the doctor's care, because she faints so often after talking to him. Mr. Walton fears he will lose Ethelwyn.
Old Rogers is delighted to hear the story of Ethelwyn's rescue and Mr. Walton's proposal. "Now you'll preach!" he says. To Mr. Walton's chagrin, his sermons do not improve as much as Old Rogers predicted, perhaps because he is so worried about Ethelwyn.
Finally Ethelwyn begins to recover her strength, and she and Mr. Walton are able to think about their wedding.
Monday, April 16, 2012
The Rescue
Mr. Walton is sitting in his house when Judy comes begging him to come rescue Ethelwyn from her mother and Captain Everard. Mr. Walton protests that Ethelwyn herself has not asked for his help, but Judy insists that Ethelwyn wants him to come, in her heart.
She lets him into Ethelwyn's house by the side door and leads him to a dark, empty room. Ethelwyn comes to him and asks him to help her. Mr. Walton tells Ethelwyn he loves her, and asks if she will marry him.
Immediately he wishes he had not said anything since Ethelwyn is under so much pressure from her mother that it would be unfair to take advantage of her. But Ethelwyn answers that she loves Mr. Walton, and will marry him.
In comes Mrs. Oldcastle and the captain, but Ethelwyn and Mr. Walton are leaving together. Mrs. Oldcastle tries to command Ethelwyn to stay, but Ethelwyn resists her, and they leave. Mr. Walton takes Ethelwyn home to his sister Mary, who lives with him.
She lets him into Ethelwyn's house by the side door and leads him to a dark, empty room. Ethelwyn comes to him and asks him to help her. Mr. Walton tells Ethelwyn he loves her, and asks if she will marry him.
Immediately he wishes he had not said anything since Ethelwyn is under so much pressure from her mother that it would be unfair to take advantage of her. But Ethelwyn answers that she loves Mr. Walton, and will marry him.
In comes Mrs. Oldcastle and the captain, but Ethelwyn and Mr. Walton are leaving together. Mrs. Oldcastle tries to command Ethelwyn to stay, but Ethelwyn resists her, and they leave. Mr. Walton takes Ethelwyn home to his sister Mary, who lives with him.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
The Letter
Mr. Walton is sick. It is the week after the stormy Sunday when he got so soaked visiting Mrs. Tompkins' house, which had a stream flowing through it, when Mrs. Tomkins lay dying.
As he lies at home in bed, he receives a visitor: Jemima. She has come wanting to adopt Catherine Weir's little boy. Mr. Walton promises to see whether this is possible, since he believes the boy's family is wanting to adopt him themselves.
Mr. Walton's two friends, Thomas Weir and Old Rogers, are talking about him. Old Rogers tells Thomas that he thinks Mr. Walton is in love with Ethelwyn Oldcastle, but that her mother is trying to make her marry Captain Everard. (Captain Everard is the father of Catherine Weir's little boy)
Hearing this, Thomas produces a letter for Old Rogers' daughter Jane to take to Ethelwyn. When Ethelwyn sees the letter, she determines never to marry Captain Everard. But her mother Mrs. Oldcastle intercepts the letter before Jane can leave, and Mrs. Oldcastle throws it into the fire, declaring it to be a lie.
As he lies at home in bed, he receives a visitor: Jemima. She has come wanting to adopt Catherine Weir's little boy. Mr. Walton promises to see whether this is possible, since he believes the boy's family is wanting to adopt him themselves.
Mr. Walton's two friends, Thomas Weir and Old Rogers, are talking about him. Old Rogers tells Thomas that he thinks Mr. Walton is in love with Ethelwyn Oldcastle, but that her mother is trying to make her marry Captain Everard. (Captain Everard is the father of Catherine Weir's little boy)
Hearing this, Thomas produces a letter for Old Rogers' daughter Jane to take to Ethelwyn. When Ethelwyn sees the letter, she determines never to marry Captain Everard. But her mother Mrs. Oldcastle intercepts the letter before Jane can leave, and Mrs. Oldcastle throws it into the fire, declaring it to be a lie.
A Stormy Sunday
Mr. Walton wakes up to a stormy Sunday morning. He does not feel able to preach or to lead the worship this Sunday because he is troubled in his own spirit. The sermon he had prepared Saturday morning seems disconnected with all that happened Saturday night with the death of Catherine and his helplessness in the crisis with Ethelwyn and the captain.
So he preaches a sermon to himself from the book of Isaiah. The sermon is about the strength and attention of God, who is ready to help us and knows all about our difficulties. As he preaches this sermon, he finds strength and peace.
After the sermon he sees Mr. Stoddart and invites him to join him in visiting the sick and the poor people of the church. Mr. Stoddart grudgingly agrees to go with him, and they go to visit Mrs. Tompkins, who is dying.
The storm outside has made a stream of water that runs through Mrs. Tompkins' house! She doesn't notice though, as she is close to death. Mr. Walton sends Mr. Stoddart to the other peoples' houses alone, to let everyone know why he won't be able to visit them. This is the beginning of a sort of partnership between Mr. Walton and Mr. Stoddart in visiting the poor.
So he preaches a sermon to himself from the book of Isaiah. The sermon is about the strength and attention of God, who is ready to help us and knows all about our difficulties. As he preaches this sermon, he finds strength and peace.
After the sermon he sees Mr. Stoddart and invites him to join him in visiting the sick and the poor people of the church. Mr. Stoddart grudgingly agrees to go with him, and they go to visit Mrs. Tompkins, who is dying.
The storm outside has made a stream of water that runs through Mrs. Tompkins' house! She doesn't notice though, as she is close to death. Mr. Walton sends Mr. Stoddart to the other peoples' houses alone, to let everyone know why he won't be able to visit them. This is the beginning of a sort of partnership between Mr. Walton and Mr. Stoddart in visiting the poor.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Catherine Goes Home
Mr. Walton is walking through the town by starlight, on his way to the deathbed of Catherine Weir. He feels disconnected from the stars, as though they do not understand what death is.
Catherine is dying, but is still at peace. Mr. Walton notices that she is looking at her son and crying, so he promises to be Gerard's godfather. They take communion together, and two hours later Catherine goes home.
As he is leaving the house, he hears that Old Rogers has been looking for him, so he goes to Old Rogers' house. The house is dark so Mr. Walton goes to sit beside the mill next to the house. He senses that Old Rogers wanted to tell him some bad news about Ethelwyn. He feels helpless to do anything for her, so he prays.
Just then the mill door opens, and Old Rogers steps out. He has been praying inside the mill for Mr. Walton and Ethelwyn. He does not elaborate, but tells Mr. Walton that the captain is still at Ethelwyn's house.
Mr. Walton does not know what to do. He wanders through the fields under the stars, and finds himself at the gate of Ethelwyn's house. Finding it open, he goes in and climbs the stairs down to the old quarry below the house, where he sits praying, looking towards the light in Ethelwyn's window.
When he finally goes home to bed, he dreams that Ethelwyn's mother has murdered her and thrown her into the lake in the quarry.
Catherine is dying, but is still at peace. Mr. Walton notices that she is looking at her son and crying, so he promises to be Gerard's godfather. They take communion together, and two hours later Catherine goes home.
As he is leaving the house, he hears that Old Rogers has been looking for him, so he goes to Old Rogers' house. The house is dark so Mr. Walton goes to sit beside the mill next to the house. He senses that Old Rogers wanted to tell him some bad news about Ethelwyn. He feels helpless to do anything for her, so he prays.
Just then the mill door opens, and Old Rogers steps out. He has been praying inside the mill for Mr. Walton and Ethelwyn. He does not elaborate, but tells Mr. Walton that the captain is still at Ethelwyn's house.
Mr. Walton does not know what to do. He wanders through the fields under the stars, and finds himself at the gate of Ethelwyn's house. Finding it open, he goes in and climbs the stairs down to the old quarry below the house, where he sits praying, looking towards the light in Ethelwyn's window.
When he finally goes home to bed, he dreams that Ethelwyn's mother has murdered her and thrown her into the lake in the quarry.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
At the Bedsides of Three Dying Parishioners
Mr. Walton goes to visit Mrs. Tompkins, who is sick. She knows that she is dying and feels afraid. Also her house is cold, so Mr. Walton promises to send coal and an extra blanket, and to come and sit with her when it is her time to go. Then he goes to visit Catherine Weir.
Catherine is also dying, but she is at peace in her heart. The only thing she worries about is what will happen to her little boy, Gerard. Mr. Walton assures her that Thomas, her father, will care for the boy, and that if Thomas doesn't want the boy, he will adopt Gerard himself.
He then goes to visit Samuel Weir, the grandfather of Catherine, who is also near dying. He is happy and says that he feels like a child, in a good way, in the way children do not worry about their life.
Catherine is also dying, but she is at peace in her heart. The only thing she worries about is what will happen to her little boy, Gerard. Mr. Walton assures her that Thomas, her father, will care for the boy, and that if Thomas doesn't want the boy, he will adopt Gerard himself.
He then goes to visit Samuel Weir, the grandfather of Catherine, who is also near dying. He is happy and says that he feels like a child, in a good way, in the way children do not worry about their life.
Monday, April 9, 2012
What to Do
Mr. Walton goes for a walk to think about what to do about the captain and Ethelwyn. He realizes he must not tell Ethelwyn the truth about the captain because Catherine told him not to tell anyone. He decides to wait and see what God will do next.
What happens next is that he sees Ethelwyn ride by with the captain and Mr. Stoddard. When Mr. Walton reaches home, there is Old Rogers waiting to talk to him about Ethelwyn. Old Rogers wants Mr. Walton to propose to Ethelwyn. Mr. Walton feels sure that Ethelwyn would refuse him, if he should propose.
He decides the best thing he can do is to visit Mr. Stoddard, to find out from him what is going on in the house. Mr. Stoddard tells him that Mrs. Oldcastle is pressuring Ethelwyn to marry Captain Everard, but so far she has refused. Mr. Walton urges the spineless Mr. Stoddard to support Ethelwyn against her oppressive mother.
As he is leaving the house, Judy intercepts Mr. Walton and asks him what he thinks Ethelwyn should do. He tells Judy that if Ethelwyn knows she does not love the captain, she should not consent to marry him. He walks home feeling much better about the whole business.
What happens next is that he sees Ethelwyn ride by with the captain and Mr. Stoddard. When Mr. Walton reaches home, there is Old Rogers waiting to talk to him about Ethelwyn. Old Rogers wants Mr. Walton to propose to Ethelwyn. Mr. Walton feels sure that Ethelwyn would refuse him, if he should propose.
He decides the best thing he can do is to visit Mr. Stoddard, to find out from him what is going on in the house. Mr. Stoddard tells him that Mrs. Oldcastle is pressuring Ethelwyn to marry Captain Everard, but so far she has refused. Mr. Walton urges the spineless Mr. Stoddard to support Ethelwyn against her oppressive mother.
As he is leaving the house, Judy intercepts Mr. Walton and asks him what he thinks Ethelwyn should do. He tells Judy that if Ethelwyn knows she does not love the captain, she should not consent to marry him. He walks home feeling much better about the whole business.
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