But no one was there. Frustrated, I looked around for prank-playing children. Instead, I noticed a small satchel made of burlap. When I shook the bag, I heard a clinking sound of metal.
At least a hundred, heavy gold coins poured onto the kitchen table. Amazed at my find, I kept the gold coins but old no one.
When baby Sammy arrived, we had enough milk for his bottle and warm blankets for his crib. My wife found another job and we were back on our feet. But I never forgot about that day we were saved. In my wallet, I kept one gold coin as a reminder.
After I got over the shock, my life fell back into its usual routine. My good mood began to sour when I felt the rebound sting of the servant’s life. Lady Eloise went from nonexistent to downright unpleasant. I’m not sure what I’d done to get on her bad side, but I was quickly shoved back in my place. I knew where I belonged.
As months passed by, Lady Eloise’s strange temperament made everyone around her feel uneasy. I tried to avoid her at all costs.
Then one morning, as I entered the servant’s quarters, there was a strange commotion.
That’s when I heard the shocking news.
Lady Eloise had fallen ill and suddenly passed away.
Her funeral was more spectacle than procession. The townspeople gathered to watch the woman they all recognized, but hardly knew, laid to rest.
After an impassioned speech, the funeral director ended with a summary of Lady Eloise’s will:
“As the only heiress to the great fortune, and with no next of kin to pass along the wealth, Lady Eloise declares that half of her fortune shall be distributed among the villagers. The remainder of her money shall be used to elect a new town mayor and to keep the town thriving. Her manor house shall be turned into a house for the needy.”
Many who attended out of curiosity, left with unexpected admiration of the late woman’s kind gesture.
As I went to pay my final respects to Lady Eloise, I noticed a quote engraved on her cherry wood casket.
It read: “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Philippians 2:4
I had a strange feeling in my stomach and the room was spinning. I felt intense deja vu. Where had I seen these words before? With a shaky hand, I pulled out my gold coin from my wallet. Along the coin’s edge, the very same quote was engraved.
Suddenly, it all made sense. How could I be so blind? It was no accident that I found that miracle satchel of gold when I needed it most.
I was too proud to ask, and she was too humble to tell me. But the chiseled words told me everything I needed to know.
Share this touching story using the buttons below.
