FRANKIE'S BLOCK HOUSE.
A FEW days after mamma talked with Frankie, he was building a high house
on the floor with his blocks, when Sally passed along and hit them, and
over they went. The little boy looked very angry. "You naughty girl," he
said.
Mamma laid down her work, and gazed at him, and her eyes looked very
sorry. As soon as Sally went out of the room, she said, "What is Satan
whispering to you now, my dear?"
Frankie started up and looked behind him: "I don't see him any where,"
he said.
"But didn't you hear his voice?" asked mamma.
"Yes, I did: he said, 'Throw a block at nurse; she is so naughty to
knock your house over.'"
"Shall I blow Satan away?" said mamma.
"Yes, please."
She blew very hard; then opened the door, and blew again, as if she
meant to send him off. "Now he's gone, I think," she said, looking in
Frankie's bright face.
"The next time he comes I'll whip him, mamma," cried the little fellow,
standing very straight, "'cause he tells me naughty things."
In a few minutes Sally came in again, and glanced at the little boy to
see whether he felt happier than he did before.
Frankie looked at her, too, and his mamma thought he seemed sorry that
he had called her naughty. She called him to her, and whispered, "Is any
body speaking to you now, my darling?"
"Yes, mamma. It says, 'Tell Sally you're sorry.'"
"Are you going to mind the good Spirit?"
"Yes, mamma. I'm sorry, nurse, I called you naughty."
Nurse looked very much pleased. "I am sorry myself, dear," she said,
"that my dress hit your blocks; and, if mamma is willing, I'll build you
a high house."
"Yes, indeed," said mamma.
So Sally sat down on the carpet, and Frankie passed her the blocks; and
she built a meeting house, with a high steeple. Mamma thought it was
splendid, and the little boy danced about, and put his arms round
Sally's neck, and kissed her ever so many times. "I'm so happy, mamma,"
he said, when she had gone.
"Children are always happy, my dear," she said, "when they have tried to
be good."
"Satan can't stay here now; can he, mamma?"
"No, he has gone to trouble some other little boy with naughty
thoughts."
The next morning, Frankie had forgotten all about this; and when papa
said he must not have so much sugar on his cakes, his lips began to
pout, and they were all afraid he was going to be very naughty.
Mamma leaned over her plate, and said, softly, "Is Satan here again?"
"Yes, mamma," said Frankie; "may I whip him out?"
She nodded yes; and he then jumped down from the table, and began to
blow with all his might. Then he caught up a newspaper, and whisked it
all about, saying, "Go long, old feller; go long out of this house."
"Whew! whew!" said papa; "what is all this?"
Mamma smiled, as if she understood it well; and presently the little
fellow climbed up in his chair, looking very bright and happy, but quite
out of breath with his exercise.
"Satan's gone, papa," he said. "Now I'm your dear little Frankie."
"Yes, indeed, you are," said his father, laughing heartily. "I am glad
we have found a way to get rid of Satan so easily."
"What does it mean?" asked Willie.
"I will tell you presently, my dear," said papa.
When they had done breakfast, Mr. Gray opened the Bible for prayers, and
taking Frankie on his knee, and calling Willie to stand by his side, he
said, "In God's book, he tells us that Satan is our great enemy, who is
trying to make us do wrong. He is called a roaring lion, who goeth about
seeking whom he may devour. This means that he loves to destroy our
happiness, and to see people miserable; and he knows if we are naughty,
we shall suffer. He goes about whispering in the ears of little boys and
girls, prompting them to mischief, persuading them to tell lies, to be
disobedient and unkind. If children listen to his voice, they soon
become like him; but if they say, 'Get thee behind me, Satan,' or drive
him away, as Frankie did, the Holy Spirit will come and put good
thoughts into their minds, and teach them, as the Bible says, what they
ought to say and what they ought to do."
Papa then knelt down, and holding Frankie's little hand, prayed that he
might always listen to the voice of the good Spirit, and be led by it to
do all that is right.