FRANKIE'S ROCKING HORSE.
WHEN Frankie was between three and four years old, there were a good
many words he could not pronounce 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
pronounce 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 passing 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 God; 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.
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