There Jasmin went to pick up any spare sous by holding horses or cattle, or running errands, or performing any trifling commission for the farmers or graziers.

When he had filled to a slight extent his little purse, he went home at night and emptied the whole contents into his mother's hand.

His heart often sank as she received his earnings with smiles and tears.

"Poor child," she would say, "your help comes just in time." Thus the bitter thought of poverty and the evidences of destitution were always near at hand.
In the autumn Jasmin went gleaning in the cornfields, for it was his greatest pleasure to bring home some additional help for the family needs.

In September came the vintage--the gathering in and pressing of the grapes previous to their manufacture into wine.