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MRS. LESLIE'S BOOKS FOR LITTLE CHILDREN.

THE LITTLE FRANKIE SERIES.




    BOOKS WRITTEN OR EDITED
    By A. R. BAKER,
    AND SOLD BY ALL BOOKSELLERS.

    QUESTION BOOKS on the Topics of Christ's Sermon on the Mount.

        VOL.  I. FOR CHILDREN.
         "   II. FOR YOUTH.
         "  III. FOR ADULTS.
        LECTURES ON THESE TOPICS, _in press_.

    MRS. LESLIE'S SABBATH SCHOOL BOOKS.

        TIM, THE SCISSORS GRINDER.
        SEQUEL TO "TIM, THE SCISSORS GRINDER."
        PRAIRIE FLOWER.
        THE BOUND BOY.
        THE BOUND GIRL.
        VIRGINIA.
        THE TWO HOMES; OR, EARNING AND SPENDING.
        THE ORGAN-GRINDER, _in press_.

    QUESTION BOOKS. The Catechism tested by the Bible.

        VOL.  I. FOR CHILDREN.
         "   II. FOR ADULTS.

    THE DERMOTT FAMILY; or, Stories Illustrating the Catechism.

        VOL.  I. DOCTRINES RESPECTING GOD AND MANKIND.
         "   II. DOCTRINES OF GRACE.
         "  III. COMMANDMENTS OF THE FIRST TABLE.
         "   IV. COMMANDMENTS OF THE SECOND TABLE.
         "    V. CONDITIONS OF ETERNAL LIFE.

    MRS. LESLIE'S HOME LIFE.

        VOL.  I. CORA AND THE DOCTOR.
         "   II. COURTESIES OF WEDDED LIFE.
         "  III. THE HOUSEHOLD ANGEL.

    MRS. LESLIE'S JUVENILE SERIES.

        VOL.  I. THE MOTHERLESS CHILDREN.
         "   II. PLAY AND STUDY.
         "  III. HOWARD AND HIS TEACHER.
         "   IV. TRYING TO BE USEFUL.
         "    V. JACK, THE CHIMNEY SWEEPER.
         "   VI. THE YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER.
         "  VII. LITTLE AGNES.

    THE ROBIN REDBREAST SERIES.

        THE ROBINS' NEST.
        LITTLE ROBINS IN THE NEST.
        LITTLE ROBINS LEARNING TO FLY.
        LITTLE ROBINS IN TROUBLE.
        LITTLE ROBINS' FRIENDS.
        LITTLE ROBINS' LOVE ONE TO ANOTHER.

    THE LITTLE FRANKIE SERIES.

        LITTLE FRANKIE AND HIS MOTHER.
        LITTLE FRANKIE AT HIS PLAYS.
        LITTLE FRANKIE AND HIS COUSIN.
        LITTLE FRANKIE AND HIS FATHER.
        LITTLE FRANKIE ON A JOURNEY.
        LITTLE FRANKIE AT SCHOOL.




[Illustration: FRANKIE'S BIRTH-DAY PRESENT.]




    LITTLE
    FRANKIE ON A JOURNEY.

    BY

    MRS. MADELINE LESLIE,
    AUTHOR OF "THE HOME LIFE SERIES;" "MRS. LESLIE'S
    JUVENILE SERIES," ETC.


    BOSTON:
    CROSBY AND NICHOLS.

    117 WASHINGTON STREET.


    Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1860, by

    A. R. BAKER,

    In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District
    of Massachusetts.


    ELECTROTYPED AT THE
    BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY.




LITTLE FRANKIE ON A JOURNEY.

CHAPTER I.

FRANKIE'S BIRTHDAY.


"Frankie," said mamma one evening, just as he was going to bed,
"to-morrow you will be six years old; how should you like to have a
party of your young friends?"

"I should like it very much indeed," replied the boy, his eyes
sparkling with pleasure.

"You have been trying to improve lately, my dear, and have almost
conquered your hasty temper. Your father and I have been so much pleased
with your conduct that we wish to reward you; so if you would like to
have a party, I shall invite as many of your young friends as you
please."

"O, what a kind mamma!" exclaimed Frankie, clasping his arms around his
mother's neck. "I mean to try to be just as good as I can."

The little boy then knelt by his low bed, and said his evening prayer.
Perhaps you would like to hear it.

"O God! thou art very good. Thou hast given me a kind father and mother,
and food to eat, clothes to wear, and many other favors. Wilt thou
forgive all my sins, and make me a good boy, so that when I die, I can
go to heaven to live with thee, for my dear Saviour's sake. Amen."

This little prayer Frankie had learned when he was four years old, and
he had repeated it every night since that time. Beside this he said the
pretty verse beginning

    "Now I lay me down to sleep,"

and then added a short prayer of his own, asking God to bless papa and
mamma, Willie, Nelly, and Margie; to keep the house from being burned
while they were asleep; and to make the heathen good, for Jesus Christ's
sake.

When Frankie was nearly five years old, a large house in the
neighborhood had been burned to the ground. He was aroused from his
sleep by the loud ringing of the bells, and the cry of fire, and sat for
a long time gazing from his mother's window at the bright, red flame.
Ever since that time he had always prayed God to keep the house from
being burned while they were asleep.

In the morning, Frankie said the Lord's prayer, and this pretty little
hymn, which perhaps you will like to learn:--

    "Fled away are the shadows of night;
       The morning is smiling and clear;
     The sun has arisen all bright,
       And the birds fly aloft in the air.

    "The sweet robins sing on the tree,
       The little lambs skip on the hill,
     And loud hum the bees as they work,
       Their houses with honey to fill.

    "'Tis time for the children to wake:
       Come, little ones, open your eyes;
     And your thanks and your praises return
       To the Being who governs the skies.

    "He has guarded you, all the long night,
       From sickness, and danger, and pain,
     And brought you, in safety and peace,
       To a beautiful morning again.

    "Whatever your parents command,
       Be ready and willing to do;
     For that, my dear child, is the way
       To be happy, and prosperous too.

    "But if (as is sometimes the case)
       You should happen to do a thing wrong,
     Just own it, and let not a lie,
       In any case, come from your tongue.

    "For the child who is gentle and kind,
       And obliges as far as he can,
     May be sure to be loved while a boy,
       And respected when grown to a man."

The next morning, when Frankie went down to breakfast, Willie sprang out
from behind the door, and gave him six loud kisses. Then he took from
his pocket a beautiful new humming top, and said, "Here is your
birthday present."

Frankie had hardly time to say, "O, how pretty! I thank you very much,"
when Nelly came in smiling, and looking very happy, with something
hidden behind her.

"Let me give you some birthday kisses," she said, reaching forward and
putting up her pretty red lips--one, two, three, four, five, six. "Now
guess what I've got for you;" and she began to laugh merrily.

Frankie looked very grave, because he was trying to guess. He would have
said a new hoop, only he thought if it was that, he should see it
sticking out from behind her dress.

"You can't tell, I know," shouted Nelly. "Will you give up?"

"Yes," said Frankie.

"There!" exclaimed the little girl, with a quick motion bringing from
behind her a large tin tip cart, with two red oxen waiting to draw it
along. "Isn't it pretty? I bought it with my own spending money, and
I've been saving it for your birthday ever so long."

"O, I do thank you!" exclaimed the delighted boy; and he kissed his
cousin more than six times, and then began to roll the cart on the
floor.

"Come to breakfast now," said mamma; "and then you shall play with your
new toys."

After the children had been to prayers with their parents, they ran up
to the play room. Sally was turning the mattress in her mistress's room;
but as soon as she heard their voices, she presented little Frankie a
small handkerchief with two pretty pictures printed upon it. One was of
two little girls taking a walk, and meeting a poor, lame beggar man;
the other of a good boy standing at the door; calling his sister to take
a ride. Perhaps, some time, I will repeat to you the pretty hymns which
were printed underneath; but now it is time for me to close this
chapter.




CHAPTER II.

FRANKIE'S PARTY.


Perhaps you will wonder whether papa and mamma gave Frankie a present.
Yes, they did; but he did not see it until the evening when his little
friends came to his party. Jane, too, and even little Margie, remembered
it was his birthday, and had a present ready for him.

Jane, with the consent of her mistress, had made a large frosted cake
for his company; and Margie gave him a beautiful white kitten, with not
one black hair on it.

As it was a holiday, there were no lessons to be learned. Mamma took a
walk to the store; and she allowed Nelly and Frankie to go with her and
carry the basket in which she intended to bring back the nuts for the
party.

But first she showed them a small basket full of notes which she had
written, inviting the little boys and girls to come and pass the evening
with Frankie, and help him to keep his birthday. Willie and Margie were
to carry them, as there was no school.

Ponto was very lively that morning. He seemed to understand that his
young master was unusually happy; and he kept jumping up on him,
wagging his tail, and trying to lick his hands and face. Willie had
taught him to carry a basket in his teeth; and as soon as they started
on their walk he began to whine, and put his nose into the basket until
they gave it to him. Then he trotted along quite contentedly after them.

It was a very hot day, and after dinner mamma tried to persuade the
little folks to lie down and get a nap, so as to be bright and fresh
for the evening. Nelly at last lay down on the lounge in her aunt's bed
room; and then Frankie brought his pillow, and lay on the floor by her.
They were so happy, they wanted to talk about the party.

Mamma was lying on the lounge, too. She was very tired after her long
walk in the morning, and wanted to go to sleep. But the children's
tongues ran so fast, that she could not. She laughed, at last, at the
very idea of sleeping there, and took her pillow into Nelly's room,
where it was dark and cool; and presently had forgotten all her fatigue.

About seven o'clock the little folks began to arrive. In August, you
know, the days are very long, so that it was still light, and as the sun
was down, it was the pleasantest part of the day.

Mr. and Mrs. Gray sat on the large iron chairs belonging to the portico,
and shook hands with the little girls and boys coming up the avenue;
then joining the company on the lawn, where Willie and two of the larger
girls were planning some games for them.

After they had enjoyed themselves in this way for an hour, Mrs. Gray
called Margie from the lawn, and told her to invite the children to
come in. Then she introduced them into the parlor, where on the table
they saw a large pile of cards, nearly half a yard in length, with
beautiful pictures on them, representing animals and birds; some of them
as large as life.

These, which came in a long box, with a brass handle on the top, were
Frankie's birthday present from papa and mamma.

At first the little fellow was so surprised, that he could not speak a
word; but then he ran, first to his mother and then to his father, put
his arms around their necks, and thanked them over and over again.

His father went to the table and distributed the cards round among the
excited, happy group, and for half an hour there was one continued shout
of delight in examining them.

"O, see this great elephant!" said one little boy; "he is winding his
nose around that baby, and is going to kill him."

"No, indeed!" said mamma, "that baby is the child of his keeper, the man
who takes care of him, and feeds him. See, the soldiers are coming up,
and the good elephant is afraid they will hurt his little charge; so he
takes it very gently in his trunk, or proboscis, and puts it over behind
him into a safer place."

"I like that elephant," said Frankie; "but I shouldn't think the baby's
mamma would leave him to take care of it. I should think she herself
would keep it in her arms."

"What is this lion doing?" asked a pretty, blue-eyed girl, named Rosa.
"See, it is holding out its paw."

"It is learning to shake hands, I should think," said Willie, laughing
aloud.

"There is a very pretty story connected with that," said his father.
"There was once a slave who ran away from his master, and hid in a cave.
After he had been there a short time he heard a noise, and looking
around he saw he was in a lion's den. His heart began to beat faster
than ever, for he thought, 'I have run away only to be killed by this
lion.' He fixed his eyes upon the beast, expecting every minute that he
would jump upon him and tear him to pieces.

"Presently the great lion came slowly up to him, and held out his paw,
as you see in the picture. The slave then saw that there was a large
thorn sticking in his foot. He pitied the poor creature, though he
expected every minute to be killed by him. He took the paw gently in his
hands, got firm hold of the thorn, and pulled it out.

"The lion was very much obliged to him, though he could not say so in
words. He lay down at the slave's feet, to show him that he would not
injure him.

"A few days after, some men were hunting in the forest; and they caught
the great lion, and carried him away with them; and they also caught the
poor slave, and took him back to his master, who was the king. The king
was very angry with him for running away, and ordered that he should be
thrown into a den with a hungry lion, who would eat him up.

"This was a dreadfully cruel punishment; but as the king had ordered it,
a great many people gathered together to see it inflicted. The den was
opened, and a great, fierce lion came bounding in, leaping and roaring
for his food. Presently another door was opened, and the poor slave was
seen crouching back against the wall to escape from his terrible enemy.

"As soon as the lion saw him, he gave one tremendous roar, and sprang
several yards toward the slave.

"Then all the people gave a great shout, for they thought that, almost
before they could look again, the slave would be dead. But to their
great surprise, the fierce, hungry lion, that had had no food for two
days, was on his knees before the slave, who had his arms around the
animal's neck, embracing him as if he were his dearest friend.

"The king was so astonished at this sight, that he cried out, 'Pardon!
pardon!' So they took the slave from the den, and threw in another
criminal, who was instantly torn to pieces."

I have spent so much time telling you about these beautiful pictures,
that I can only say the children were invited into the dining hall,
where they were feasted on nuts, cake, fruit, and lemonade; and went
home, after thanking Mrs. Gray for inviting them to so pleasant a party.
Frankie, when he kissed his mamma good night, said, "I wish I could have
a birthday every week, I like them so much."




CHAPTER III.

FRANKIE'S JOURNEY.


A few weeks after this birthday, Frankie went a journey with papa, and
mamma, and Willie, and Nelly.

Nelly's father and mother had been home two or three months; but they
found their little girl improving so fast under her aunt's care and
teaching, that they did not like to take her away.

Nelly was very well contented to remain with her kind friends; and when
she found Frankie alone in a room by himself, crying because he thought
her mother had come to carry her home, she promised she would live with
him always.

Mr. Gray hired a carriage and a span of handsome horses, and one fine
morning in September they started off; papa and Willie on the front
seat, and mamma with Frankie and Nelly on the back. Sometimes, though,
they wanted to change, and the two little ones rode in front with papa,
while Willie took their place behind.

Then once in a while, when they were tired, papa would stop the horses,
and let them all get out and walk up a long hill; and O, how fast the
little feet would fly, trying to see who would reach the top first!

It made this good papa and mamma happy to see their children enjoy
themselves so well.

They travelled on for several days; and one night they came to a small
town, where Mr. Gray said he would put up. They drove to the tavern, and
soon were shown to a room up stairs. While they were waiting for supper,
Frankie asked, "What is the name of this town, papa?"

"It is Canaan, my dear," replied his father.

The little boy now gazed around