At the end of Chapter six, Lyddie is fired from Cutler's Tavern. With no way to support herself, Lyddie decides to head to Lowell in order to become a factory girl. She must take the carriage (stagecoach) to reach Lowell.
Along the way, the carriage picks up several additional passengers, which makes for a very cramped ride. The ride was not a smooth or clean ride, and the spring rains combined with the spring thaw made the roads nearly impassable. At one point, the carriage got bogged down in the muddy road. The driver ordered the male passengers out of the carriage in order to push. They pushed for fifteen minutes, but they could not get the carriage unstuck.
Lyddie was soon frustrated with the men's lack of intelligence.
After a least a quarter of an hour of watching, she could stand their stupidity no longer.
Lyddie hitched up her skirts, found a big flat stone to place under the stuck wheel, and ordered the men to push from the back. The carriage was immediately free.
The entire situation helped Lyddie out, because her grit and hardiness impressed the driver. He decided to repay Lyddie by taking her to his sister's boarding house. His sister is Mrs. Bedlow. Mrs. Bedlow quickly befriended Lyddie and began taking care of her. Mrs. Bedlow gave Lyddie money to buy some new clothes and arranged employment for Lyddie in one of the factories.
Had the stagecoach not gotten stuck, Lyddie likely would not have been able to find work and boarding so quickly and easily.
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