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Page 55
"O what have I done! what have I done!" cried Alice. "O Mrs. Reed, I'm
so sorry--I have broken the tile!"
"How did it happen, Alice? Was it loose?"
"Why yes," replied Alice; "I put my hand on it, and thought it appeared
to move a little. Having my scissors with, me, I, through curiosity, ran
the points in between that tile and the next one."
"Never mind, child," said Mrs. Reed kindly, seeing that Alice was
feeling sad over the mishap; "perhaps the tile can be mended--let us
see."
As they both stooped down to pick up the pieces, Alice noticed that
there was a hollow space back of where the tile had been, and that it
contained something of a dingy white color.
"O Mrs. Reed!" cried she; "there is something in there! See, it looks
like a bag tied up! May I take it out?"
Mrs. Reed turned deadly pale. "Yes," she replied, scarcely knowing what
she expected or dared hope.
Alice thrust her hand into the hole to pull the hag out, but as it was
very old, it fell apart, and O wonder of wonders! as many as a hundred
pieces of gold coin fell with a jingle on the hearth and rolled every
way.
"My husband's money!" exclaimed Mrs. Reed, as she leaned on Alice to
keep from falling.
Alice was nearly wild and talked like a crazy person.
"O goody, goody!" she cried, clapping her hands and jumping up and down.
"Now you can have everything you want! you won't be poor any longer!"
But Mrs. Reed was too much overcome to hear what Alice said.
[Illustration]
She could scarcely realize the good fortune that had so suddenly
befallen her.
Presently, however, with the tenderness of a mother, she placed her arms
around Alice and said: "O you precious child! but for you, I should
never have known this!"
"And if you had not given me the work-box," said Alice, "perhaps no one
would ever have found it out.
"But," continued she, excitedly, "let us see if there is any thing more
in there."
Again reaching into the hole in the mantel-piece, she sprung back with a
look of amazement that frightened Mrs. Reed.
"Why, Alice, what is the matter?" inquired the old lady.
"Matter!" exclaimed Alice. "Why, dear me! Mrs. Reed, there are lots and
lots of bags in there yet!"
"Is it possible!" said Mrs. Reed hoarsely. Then reaching her hand into
the hole, she drew out bag after bag, handling them very carefully, so
that they would not fall to pieces as the first one had done.
In the meantime Alice had pushed a table up near the fire-place. The
bags were emptied upon it, until the glittering gold made a heap that
struck Mrs. Reed and Alice with greater amazement than ever.
"Alice," said Mrs. Reed, "this is a blessing from Heaven that I do not
deserve. I can not tell you how thankful I am for it. My happiness now
will be in doing for others."
Alice said nothing; her heart was too full. A look of sadness came over
her face.
She was wondering whether Mrs. Reed would continue to love her, and
thinking, with a mingled feeling of fear and dread, that now her friend
was rich, perhaps she, the poor orphan girl, might not be so welcome at
the cottage as before.
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