chisel flew up against
his wrist: and the narrow cut that it made,--not more than half an inch
wide,--made his right hand entirely useless for life. He could never
again hold a tool;--his work was gone,--his business in life seemed
over,--the support of the whole family was taken away,--and the only
strong wish Richard Grant had in the world was disappointed."

Hugh hid his face with his handkerchief, and his mother went on:

"You have heard of Huber."

"The man who found out so much about bees. Miss Harold read that account
to us."

"Bees and ants. When Huber had discovered more than had ever been known
before about bees and ants, and when he was sure he could learn more
still, and was more and more anxious to peep and pry into their tiny
homes, and their curious ways, Huber became blind."

Hugh sighed, and his mother went on:

"Did you ever hear of Beethoven? He was one of the greatest musical
composers that ever lived. His great, his sole delight was in music. It
was the passion of his life. When all his time and all his mind were
given to music, he became deaf--perfectly deaf; so that he never more
heard one single note from the loudest orchestra. While crowds were
moved and delighted with his compositions, it was all silence to him."

Hugh said nothing.

"Now, do you think," asked his mother,--and Hugh saw by the grey light
that began to shine in, that she smiled--"do you think that these people
were without a heavenly Parent?"

"O no! But were they all patient?"

"Yes, in their different ways and degrees. Would you say that they were
hardly treated? Or would you rather suppose that their Father gave them
something more and better to do than they had planned for themselves?"

"He must know best, of course: but it does seem hard that that very
thing should happen to them. Huber would not have so much minded being
deaf, perhaps; or that musical man being blind; or Richard Grant losing
his foot, instead of his hand: for he did not want to go round the
world."

"No doubt their hearts often swelled within them at their
disappointments: but I fully believe that they found very soon that
God's will was wiser than their wishes. They found, if they bore their
trial well, that there was work for their hearts to do, far nobler than
any work that the head can do through the eye, and the ear, and the
hand. And they soon felt a new and delicious pleasure, which none but
the bitterly disappointed can feel."

"Wha