“‘Mother wouldn’t know what a good nurse you can be.’
“‘I wish she hadn’t a chance to know that, father.’
“‘Yes,’ said the cobbler,—‘your mother’s sickness—that seems the hardest evil we have had to do with. It’s not easy to find any present comfort of that; nor any present good; for I am afraid it makes me more impatient than patient. Maybe that’s why I have it. But if we can’t see the reason of a great many things now, we shall by and by. We shall know, Sue, what the reason was. ‘Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments or no.’’
“Sue lifted up her head, and her little face was beautiful for the strong patience, and bright trust, and love that was in it. Her eyes were swimming and her lips were speaking, though they only moved to tremble.
“‘We can wait, Sue,’ said the cobbler, gently. Sue laid down her head again.
“‘So it seems we have got the reason of it already,’ Mr. Peg went on, ‘if not the good.’
“‘Maybe we’ve got some of the good too, without knowing it,’ said his little daughter.
“‘Still, well be very glad to have mother get well.’
“‘Oh, won’t we!’ said Sue.
“‘And it will teach us how to be thankful for the common things we forget.’