in it! Had ſhe been acquainted with the popular tales of the Greeks, ſhe would eaſily have fallen upon the idea, that her poor cattle had died of king Midas’s indigeſtion. An idea of the kind actually did come acroſs her imagination, and ſhe immediately whetted her caſe-knife, opened the goat’s carcaſe, and found in the ſtomach a piece of gold as large as a walnut, and ſo in proportion in the ſtomachs of the kids.
She now ſaw no end to her riches; but, in taking poſſeſſion of them ſhe took poſſeſſion of the heavy cares attending them; ſhe became uneaſy and fearful: ſhe had a palpitation at her heart—heſitated whether ſhe ſhould lock up her treaſure in the cheſt, or bury it in the cellar. She was alarmed for fear of thieves. She firmly reſolved, however, not to let the ſurly Stephen know all at once, very juſtly apprehending he would be inſtigated by the dæmon of avarice to take all the mammon to himſelf, and let her and the children periſh
