Keep up your courage , my son , and go out at the year 's end better , not worse , for this hard experience . Remember a grateful woman waits to welcome and thank you if you have no friends of your own ; if you have , do your best for their sake , and let us ask God to help you as He only can . ' Then waiting for no answer the good man prayed heartily , and Dan listened as he never had before ; for the lonely hour , the dying message , the sudden uprising of his better self , made it seem as if some kind angel had come to save and comfort him . After that night there was a change in Dan , though no one knew it but the chaplain ; for to all the rest he was the same silent , stern , unsocial fellow as before , and turning his back on the bad and the good alike , found his only pleasure in the books his friend brought him . Slowly , as the steadfast drop wears away the rock , the patient kindness of this man won Dan 's confidence , and led by him he began to climb out of the Valley of Humiliation towards the mountains , whence , through the clouds , one can catch glimpses of the Celestial City whither all true pilgrims sooner or later turn their wistful eyes and stumbling feet . There were many back-slidings , many struggles with Giant Despair and fiery Apollyon , many heavy hours when life did not seem worth living and Mason 's escape the only hope . But through all , the grasp of a friendly hand , the sound of a brother 's voice , the unquenchable desire to atone for the past by a better future , and win the right to see home again , kept poor Dan to his great task as the old year drew to its end , and the new waited to turn another leaf in the book whose hardest lesson he was learning now . At Christmas he yearned so for Plumfield that he devised a way to send a word of greeting to cheer their anxious hearts , and comfort his own . He wrote to Mary Mason , who lived in another State , asking her to mail the letter he enclosed . In it he merely said he was well and busy , had given up the farm , and had other plans which he would tell later ; would not be home before autumn probably , nor write often , but was all right , and sent love and merry Christmas to everyone . Then he took up his solitary life again , and tried to pay his forfeit manfully . Chapter 13 . NAT 'S NEW YEAR ' I do n't expect to hear from Emil yet , and Nat writes regularly , but where is Dan ? Only two or three postals since he went . Such an energetic fellow as he is could buy up all the farms in Kansas by this time , ' said Mrs Jo one morning when the mail came in and no card or envelope bore Dan 's dashing hand . ` He never writes often , you know , but does his work and then comes home . Months and years seem to mean little to him , and he is probably prospecting in the wilderness , forgetful of time , ' answered Mr Bhaer , deep in one of Nat 's long letters from Leipzig . ` But he promised he would let me know how he got on , and Dan keeps his word if he can . I 'm afraid something has happened to him ' ; and Mrs Jo comforted herself by patting Don 's head , as he came at the sound of his master 's name to look at her with eyes almost human in their wistful intelligence . ` Do n't worry , Mum dear , nothing ever happens to the old fellow .
He 'll turn up all XXXXX , and come stalking in some day with a gold-mine in one pocket and a prairie in the other , as jolly as a grig , ' said Ted , who was in no haste to deliver Octoo to her rightful owner .
Bhaer Dan Emil Kansas Months back-slidings hours night right whither