Final answer:
Maria's employment source is not clearly identified in the provided text, but it is implied she may have been given a job by Miss Baker or the flat's management where she worked as a maid of all work.
Step-by-step explanation:
The individual who provided Maria with a job when she was on the brink of poverty is not explicitly mentioned in the excerpts. However, the text from the source implies that Maria has a longstanding position as a maid of all work, which suggests that she may have received the job from the oldest lodger in the flat, Miss Baker, or the management of the flat where she was a fixture.
This is inferred from the content that describes Maria's routine and her interactions with the other characters. However, none of the provided options (Father, Bruno, Maria's mother, Father's parents) are supported by the information given in the excerpts, and an exact answer cannot be drawn from the provided references. It is important to always provide ample context from the texts or materials being referenced to justify any conclusions drawn.