New National Fourth Reader Part 27

Directions for Reading.--The conversational parts of this lesson may be read as a dialogue by two pupils.

Which is the most _emphatic word_ in the following sentence?

"O dear, dear! Why was I left so poor!"

Point out the _emphatic words_ in the third paragraph of the lesson.

LESSON XXVII.

hand'y, _convenient; ready for use_.

ad join'ing, _next to; neighboring_.

sin cere'ly, _honestly; truly_.

fort'u nate, _favored; lucky_.

act'u al ly, _really; truly_.

suf fi'cient, _enough; plenty_.

carv'ings, _figures cut in wood or stone_.

mys'ter y, _something entirely unknown_.

thresh'old, _a piece of board which lies under a door_.

tile, _a thin piece of baked clay_.

ex am'ine, _look at with care_.

THE HIDDEN TREASURE.

PART II.

Christmas morning came, and soon Alice Brown entered Mrs. Reed's cottage and received a warm welcome.

"Merry Christmas! Mrs. Reed," said Alice.

"Thank you, my dear," replied Mrs. Reed; "it will indeed be a 'Merry Christmas' if you can remain with me this forenoon."

"Well, I can stay till dinner-time," said Alice. "See what a pretty present cousin John sent me!" and Alice held up a new pocket-book.

"That is very nice, Alice," said Mrs. Reed; "now if you had some one to fill it with money, it would be better still."

"Yes, indeed," cried Alice, laughingly; "but as I was not so fortunate as to receive any money, and have none of my own to put in it, the pocket-book is not likely to be worn out for a long time."

"Well, well, Alice," replied Mrs. Reed, "it is always handy to have things in the house; for some time they may be needed.

"Excuse me a moment, Alice," continued Mrs. Reed; "sit down here by the fire and warm yourself."

Alice took a seat by the fire and warmed her fingers; for, although it was a bright suns.h.i.+ny day, it was very cold.

Mrs. Reed stepped into the adjoining room, and with a light heart and an expression on her face that no one had seen for many a day, took up the little work-box she had prepared for Alice.

Returning again to the sitting-room with the box in her hand, she approached Alice and said;

"Here, my dear, is a little Christmas present I have for you. I sincerely wish it were something better. It will be useful, I know, and I hope it will please you."

"O how beautiful!" exclaimed Alice, as she caught sight of the curious carvings on the outside of the box. "And a work-box, too!" she continued, as she took it in her hands and lifted the cover; "is it really for me?"

"For no one else, I a.s.sure you," replied Mrs. Reed, as her face lighted up with joy, at seeing Alice so happy.

"O how can I ever thank you enough!" exclaimed Alice, as she threw her arms around Mrs. Reed's neck and kissed her again and again.

Then taking a seat by Mrs. Reed, Alice began to examine the contents of the new work-box, lifting out the articles one by one, and placing them in her lap.

She then admired the beautiful lining which. Mrs. Reed had put in the box, asking her where she got such pretty pieces of silk.

"That piece of silk at the top, Alice, is a bit of my wedding-dress; and that on the sides, is a part of my wedding-sash. Those remind me of happy days, Alice.

"I had plenty then: a good husband, a happy home, and never thought that I should come to poverty."

"What is this from?" asked Alice, touching the silk lining at the bottom of the box.

"O that was always in the box, Alice. It was there when my husband received it, and must be a piece of India silk.

"Is any thing the matter with it?" continued Mrs. Reed, as she noticed Alice picking at one corner of it.

"O nothing is the matter," replied Alice; "it only seemed to me to be a little loose."

"Let me look," said Mrs. Reed. "I don't think it can be loose, or I should have seen it when I was lining the box."

"It is actually quite loose," said Alice, as she examined it further, and picked up one corner with, a pin; "and here is a little piece of paper underneath it."