d not help hoping
that, _some how or other_, it was to come to pass, that she should learn
music directly. And she was right, as we shall see. Imagination came
nearer the truth than reason, for once.

By this time Alfred began to be dismayed lest there should be no present
for him; but Hannah had not yet got to the bottom of the box. When she
had, she took out several packages of books, two of them directed to
Alfred, and the others to the Miss Forsyths. Alfred's present consisted
of some beautiful editions of the classics, so valuable that the owner
of them was likely to be long before he understood how rich he was in
their possession. There was also a large cake directed to him, to which
he was disposed to pay a more immediate attention than to his books.
The girls found that their library was to be enriched by the best
foreign editions of Tasso and Alfieri, and of Racine, and by a beautiful
edition of Shakspeare. They were bewildered by the splendour of these
presents, so far exceeding in value any thing they had before possessed.
Their usual tea hour was long past before they thought of any thing but
the wonderful box. At length, however, they determined to finish their
meal as quickly as possible, and to go and tell their kind friends, the
Barkers, of their good fortune. It was vain to think of putting their
riches out of sight, so the watch was hung over the chimney-piece, the
desk, drawing-box, and books, stuck up wherever room could be made for
them. While they were at tea, however, Mr and Mrs Barker called,
probably with some suspicion of what they were to see, for Mr Barker
glanced round the room as he entered it. "Why, young ladies," said he,
"you are so splendid I dare not come in, I am afraid. My dear, we have
nothing like this to shew at home. What good fairy can have done all
this?"

"Two good fairies from India have sent us these beautiful things, Sir,"
said Isabella.

"From India! I did not know you had any such acquaintance in India."

"From India, by way of London, Sir," said Jane, "now you can guess."

"Yes, yes, my dear, I know well enough. I had some idea of finding an
exhibition when I came to-night, but not such a one as this, I own.
Alfred, my boy, how comes your cake to be on this chair, instead of on
the tea-table?"

"We are not going to cut it to-night, Sir."

"I hardly know when we shall," said Jane. "It is too large to eat it
all ourselves."

"It does look very good