XIII.—LITTLE VICTORIES.Remark.—In conversational pieces like the following, the manner of each speaker should be imitated, as in a dialogue.
Remark.—In conversational pieces like the following, the manner of each speaker should be imitated, as in a dialogue.
1. “Oh, mother, now that I have lost my limb, I can never be a soldier or a sailor; I can never go round the world!” And Hugh burst into tears, now more really afflicted than he had ever been yet. His mother sat on the bed beside him, and wiped away his tears as they flowed, while he told her, as well as his sobs would let him, how long and how much he had reckoned on going round the world, and how little he cared for anything else in future; and now this was the very thing he should never be able to do!
2. He had practiced climbing ever since he could remember, and now this was of no use; he had practiced marching, and now he should never march again. When he had finished his complaint, there was a pause, and his mother said, “Hugh, you have heard of Huber.”
“The man who found out so much about bees?” said Hugh.
“Bees and ants. When Huber had discovered[103]more than had ever been known about these, and when he was sure that he could learn still more, and was more and more anxious to peep into their tiny[104]homes, and curious ways, he became blind.”
3. Hugh sighed, and his mother went on.
“Did you ever hear of Beethoven? He was one of the greatest musical composers[105]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 suddenly became deaf, perfectly deaf; so that he never more heardone single notefromthe loudest orchestra[106]. While crowds were moved and delighted with his compositions[107]it was all silence to him.” Hugh said nothing.
4. “Now do you think,” asked his mother—and Hugh saw that a mild and gentle smile beamed from her countenance—“do you think that these people were without a heavenly Parent?”
“Oh no! but were they patient?” asked Hugh.
“Yes, in their different ways and degrees. Would you suppose that they were hardly treated? Or would you not rather suppose, that their Father gave them something better to do, than they had planned for themselves?”
5. “He must know best, of course; but it does seem very hard, thatthat very thingshould happen to them. Huber would not have so much minded being deaf, perhaps; or that musical man being blind.”
“No doubt their hearts often swelled within them, at their disappointments; but I fully believe that they very soon found God’s will to be 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 the head could do through the eye, or the ear. And they soon felt a new and delicious pleasure, which none but the bitterly disappointed can feel.”
“What is that?”
6. “The pleasure of rousing the soul to bear pain, and of agreeing with God silently, when nobody knows what is in the breast. There is no pleasure like that of exercising one’s soul in bearing pain, and of finding one’s heart glow with the hope that one is pleasing God.”
“Shall I feel that pleasure?”
“Often and often, I have no doubt; every time you can willingly give up your wish to be a soldier, or a sailor, or any thing else you have set your mind upon, you will feel that pleasure. But I do not expect it of you yet. I dare say, it was long a bitter thing to Beethoven to see hundreds of people in raptures[108]with his music when he could not hear a note of it.”
7. “But did he ever smile again?” asked Hugh.
“If he did, he was happier than all the fine music in the world could have made him,” replied his mother.
“I wonder, oh, I wonder if I shall ever feel so!”
“We will pray to God that you may. Shall we ask him now?”
Hugh clasped his hand. His mother kneeled beside the bed, and, in a very few words, prayed that Hugh might be able to bear his misfortune[109]well, and that his friends might give him such help and comfort as God should approve.
[103]Dis-covˊ-ered, found out.[104]Tinˊ-y, very small.[105]Com-posˊer, an author.[106]Orˊ-ches-tra, a body of musicians.[107]Com-po-siˊ-tions, musical pieces.[108]Raptˊ-ures, extreme delight.[109]Mis-forˊ-tune, calamity.
[103]Dis-covˊ-ered, found out.
[103]Dis-covˊ-ered, found out.
[104]Tinˊ-y, very small.
[104]Tinˊ-y, very small.
[105]Com-posˊer, an author.
[105]Com-posˊer, an author.
[106]Orˊ-ches-tra, a body of musicians.
[106]Orˊ-ches-tra, a body of musicians.
[107]Com-po-siˊ-tions, musical pieces.
[107]Com-po-siˊ-tions, musical pieces.
[108]Raptˊ-ures, extreme delight.
[108]Raptˊ-ures, extreme delight.
[109]Mis-forˊ-tune, calamity.
[109]Mis-forˊ-tune, calamity.