Be cross and pert, and cry for cake, And fling your breakfast all away?"
"Ah, never, never, dear mamma!
I"m sorry that I gave you pain; Forgive me, and I never will Be such a naughty girl again."
CHAPTER VI.
FRANKIE"S ROCKING HORSE.
WHEN Frankie was between three and four years old, there were a good many words he could not p.r.o.nounce distinctly. He could not say kitchen, but called it chichen; and he called sugar chucher. He could not say sing, but said ting. His papa was afraid he never would be able to p.r.o.nounce them; and he took a great deal of pains to have him try to say them over and over again. He used to take Frankie on his knee, and make him sound s-s-, and then say s-sing. But Frankie always said s-ting.
One day his mamma was pa.s.sing through the back hall, and she saw her little boy kneeling in a chair by the table where Jane was making bread.
He was talking very earnestly, and she stopped a moment to hear what he was saying.
He was giving Jane a lesson. "Now say knife," he began. So Jane said "knife."
"No, that not wight; you must say s- knife."
Jane laughed: "knife is right," she said.
"No, no!" he repeated; "papa say s- knife; so you must say it wight."
He thought it was as well to put s- on any other word as on sing.
He was very fond of playing school, and was quite happy when Willie and Margie would be his scholars. Dinah was always set up in her chair too, and another dolly whose name was Lily Gray. Frankie would set them all before him, and then ask, "Margie, who first man?"
"Adam."
"Now, you good girl, you may go wight to your seat. Willie, who first boy?"
"Cain."
"Yes, that"s wight; now you be vely till, cause I shall peach." Then he would stand in his chair and preach very loud, spreading his arms, and always closing with a long amen.
Once, when he was kneeling with his father, he thought the prayer rather long, and putting up his face, he whispered, "Say amen, papa;--can"t you say amen?"
Frankie was very happy one day when his mamma told him that his aunt and cousin were coming to make them a visit. He packed all his playthings in a trunk, to have them ready for the little baby, and then went round the house telling every body that Eddie was coming to see him.
The day before they were expected, a beautiful present came for Frankie from Mr. Wallace, the same kind gentleman who had given him the silver cup.
Can you guess what it was? It was not a cup and ball, nor a top, nor an iron hoop, but a rocking horse with a carriage fastened to it large enough for him to get in it. Then there was a place for the whip, and two pairs of reins for him to drive with.
At first, Frankie stood looking at it, his eyes growing larger and larger, until papa asked, "Well, Frankie, how do you like your new horse?"
"Is it for me, papa, for mine own telf?" exclaimed the little boy, clapping his hands and dancing up and down. "O, I"m to glad!" Then raising his eyes, he said, soberly, "Tank you, Dod. Tank you vely much indeed."
His mamma had taught him that all our blessings come from G.o.d; and the dear boy wished to thank him for this new favor.
I can hardly tell you how much pleased he was with his present. He could scarcely stop riding to eat his dinner; and then had to put up the horse in the corner of the room he called the stable, and tie him very tightly to a chair, for fear he would run away. Then, before his mother noticed what he was about, he slipped from his seat, and carried his silver cup of water to the pony, and held it to his mouth to drink.
"Pony hungry," he said, when she called him back. "Pony vely hungry indeed."
When Willie and Margie came from school, mamma watched her boy, to see whether he would be generous, and allow them to share in his rides.
"O, my!" called out Willie, "how pretty it is! Let me get in."
"Yet, you may," said Frankie, stepping out of the carriage. "Here, take Dinah too. Dinah wants to wide."
While Willie was whipping the horse to make him go as fast as he could, Frankie danced up and down, every now and then calling out, "Go long, pony, go long!"
In the mean time, Margie stood awaiting her turn, hardly daring to expect that Frankie would give up his new plaything to her. Mamma was looking on too, and was very happy when he said, "There, Willie, you must get out now, cause Margie wants to wide. Top a minute, Margie; I"ll fix the reins for you," he cried; and he went to the pony"s head, and patted him, and said, "Whoa, sir, whoa!" just like any gentleman.
The next day, when Eddie and his mamma came, Frankie seemed very happy to share his pleasure with his little cousin. They rode away together to visit other papas and mammas, but always came back at last to the stable in the corner of the room.
Can you tell what it was made Mrs. Gray so happy, when she looked at the pretty pony? It was because her darling boy had not been selfish with it, and tried to keep it all to himself, but had liked to see others riding in it, and enjoying it too. When little boys or girls are generous and kind, then look for smiles and kisses from their mammas.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
CHAPTER VII.
THE TRY COMPANY.
"O MAMMA!" cried Willie, one day, running home from school in great haste, "the boys are going to have a little company; may I have a soldier cap and belong to it?"
Mrs. Gray sat busily at work, but she at once laid down her sewing in her lap, and thought a moment, and then she said, "I want you to belong to my company, my dear!"
"What company, mamma? Will they wear soldier caps, and jackets with red all down here, and stripes on their pantaloons?"
"Yes, they will be all dressed up with plumes and stars on their shoulders. It will be called the Try Company."
"May I have a cap too?" asked Frankie.
"Yes, any little boy may join who will agree to the rules."
"Rules, mamma," said Willie, "Do companies have rules?"
"O, yes, my dear! Soldiers always have to obey the captain; and if an enemy comes, to go and fight him."
"Shall we fight, then?" asked the boy in surprise.
"There will be one kind of fighting, my dear; but it will not be fighting with swords. You may ask all the little boys, who wish to form a company, up here after school this evening, and I will talk with them.
Perhaps they will like to join my company."