"My dear child, there is a wonderful difference between the two things; one is real and the other is not—one true and the other false—there is no such thing as what you call luck, or fortune, in the world." "I have seen," said Amy, "an old print called 'Fortune scattering her Favors,' just as we scatter flowers in the summer." "Exactly; but it is only a heathenish notion." "I know that, grandpa, and knew that at the time." "And this Luck, this Fortune, had she her eyes wide open?" "No, grandpa, a tight bandage was over both her eyes. She could not see at all; as blind as when we play at blindman's buff." "Just so," said the grandfather, "and this is the wide distinction. People who have not learnt to put their trust in God, ascribe their success in life, or the misfortunes they may meet with, to blind fortune, who neither sees nor understands who are they to whom she deals her favors—her blanks or prizes in her lottery. "But the Bible has taught us something better than this. It tells us that the great God ruleth over all things; that he who counteth the stars hath numbered the hairs of our heads; that he who gave the angels all their brightness, clothed the lily and the violet, and painted all the flowers of summer. That he overrules everything; governs all, directs all, controls all; great and small, old men and babes, kings and emperors and pauper children; that our happiness, or adversity and misfortune, are not the results of blind fortune, or dead chance, but the will of the Mighty One who made heaven and earth. But to proceed. "So the widow and her son went back into the cottage, after putting the cow into the stall, and giving her plenty of hay, which for some time past had been suffered to lie waste. When indoors, Margaret sat down before her spinning wheel, and again began to weep for joy; the good news had shaken her as much as if it were a gift of terror. She felt weak and exhausted. Again and again she made George repeat the story of his prowess. "'Dear George,' said she, 'you have followed my advice, and you have reaped the benefit of doing so. You have placed your hopes in God, and He has been your friend; you have been kind and charitable to men, and they have been good and generous to you. True religion is loving God and loving man, and holiness is only another name for happiness. Let us thank God for all things, and do you, my dear son, still continue to acknowledge the Lord in all your ways. They that wait upon the Lord shall not want any good thing. "Never saw I the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread!"' "Well, the knight took George into his service, and he rose in favor and influence with his master. He always remembered the injunctions of his mother, who lived happy and comfortable for many a year." "Thank you, thank you a thousand times grandpa, it is a beautiful story," said Amy. "So it is indeed," said Henry, "and I cannot help thinking how good came out of evil."