This sympathy continues and after some time passes,Dolly Winthrop stops by Silas's house to give him cake and to tell him that he should go to church since it's around Christmas time.
Since Silas raised Eppie, he was the only father figure in her life, so she was comfortable with him. This is why Eppie wanted to stay with Silas, and not go and live with Godfrey and Nancy.