Faith in God

One snowy Saturday night, when our wood was very low, a poor child came to beg a little, as the baby was sick and the father on a spree with all his wages. My mother hesitated at first. Very cold weather was upon us; a Sunday to be gotten through before more wood could be had, and we also had a baby. My father said, "Give half our stock, and trust in Providence; the weather will moderate, or wood will come." Mother answered in her cheery way, "Well, their need is greater than ours, and if our half gives out we can go to bed and tell stories." So a generous half went to the poor neighbor.

A little later, while the storm still raged, a knock came, and a farmer who usually supplied us appeared, saying anxiously, "I started for Boston with a load of wood, but it drifts so I want to go home. Wouldn't you like to have me leave it here? It would accommodate me and you needn't hurry about paying for it." We children were much impressed as father said; "Didn't I tell you wood would come if the weather didn't moderate?" -- Louisa M. Alcott

From: ILLUSTRATIVE MATERIAL Compiled By J. Glenn Gould

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