Anna did not clearly remember her parents. When her mother passed away, her father found himself unable to care for such a small child alone. He took little Anna to her grandmothers cottage, left her at the front gate, and drove away. Annas grandmother had been working in her vegetable patch at the time, so all she heard was the distant groan of an engine.
Now who could have come calling? she wondered, brushing off her apron and heading to the gate.
Stepping out, Annas grandmother caught sight of her granddaughter sitting patiently by the fence.
What a foolish man! He could have at least let me know! she muttered to herself. She took Anna gently by the hand and led her inside. That evening, Annas grandfather returned from the fields.
Whats this? Has William brought her round? he asked, lowering his cap.
Yes, he brought her. Left the child by the gate and sped off in that motorcar of his. Such are the ways of young folk these days, it seems.
They grumbled for a good while, and soon after prepared for bed. Time passed. The old couple poured all their care and affection into raising Anna.
They taught her to treat others with respect and to tend to the house and garden well. As Anna grew, she became her grandparents right hand, caring for them as her mother once had in her youth, before she herself was taken too soon. For the old couple, memories of their daughter offered scant comfort, but Annas presence brought solace.
Anna eventually finished her schooling. One evening, as the fire burned low, her grandfather began to speak.
Our granddaughters clever and able. I do wish we could send her somewhere to further her learning.
Youre quite right, replied his wife. Nowadays, without proper education, one can do very little.
The grandparents gathered what little savings they had left and sent Anna off to the city to study. She earned top marks at the College of Economics and, in due course, returned to her home village.
City life had little appeal for Anna. Her grandparents were overjoyed at her return, grateful that they would not face old age alone. Anna resolved to help her village flourish. She took up farming, secured a loan, bought a plot of land, and hired several villagers to work with her. In time, she built a barn and brought in cattle, yet help was scarce. So, Anna put a notice in the local paper, offering good wages and a place to stay.
One day, a man appeared at her door, rugged and unkempt, looking much the worse for wear. He introduced himself as her father.
He asked nothing from Anna, knowing that, after twenty years, he had no right to demands. He made only one request that he might stay by his daughters side. All alone in the world, perhaps he could at least be of use to her in some way.
Anna did forgive her father, though it took her several months. From then on, he lived with his daughter, helping with any task she set him, ever fearful of being left behind again. Do you think Anna did the right thing by forgiving her father?
