Little Frankie on a Journey

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 with great interest; went to the window and looked out, and presently said, "It don't seem very pleasant, papa; but I suppose the Israelites were glad to get here."

Frankie thought this Canaan was the pleasant land which God promised to his chosen people. If you don't know about it, ask your mamma to tell you how the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years, eating manna for bread, and quails for meat, all the time longing to reach Canaan, where there was an abundance of milk and honey, and you will know why Frankie thought they would be glad to get there.

Papa and mamma laughed heartily when he said this, and papa told him that Canaan was a great way off from this place. It was the name of a whole country, while this was only a small town.

When Frankie heard this, he walked away from the window, and sat quietly by mamma until they were called to tea.

The next morning the road led through a large forest of pine trees. The wind was blowing quite a breeze, and Frankie was glad to get under his mother's shawl on the back seat of the carriage. He lay so still that she thought he was asleep; but at last he asked, "Are these mulberry trees, mamma?"

"No, dear, they are pine."

"Well, mamma," said the little fellow, "they sound like mulberry trees."

"Where did you ever hear any, my dear?" asked his mother.

"Why, you know," said he, "that you read me in the Bible about 'the sound of the going in the tops of the mulberry trees,' and I think it was just like this."

Before they started from home, Mrs. Gray had partly promised her sister-in-law that she would stop there with Nelly and Frankie on their return, and make a visit; but on the last day of their journey, it was quite cold and rainy. Mr. Nelson, her brother, lived in a town several miles out of their way; and so she concluded to go directly home, and start again when it was pleasant.

After riding ten or twelve miles, Frankie and his little cousin became very tired. The rain prevented their getting out of the carriage for a run, neither could they sit on the front seat and watch the horses.

"I wish I had a watch," said Frankie; "I don't like to trouble you, mamma, to take yours out so often; but I do want to know what time it is."

"I mean to ask father to buy me a watch," said Nelly, "just as soon as I go home."

"How much farther have we to go, papa?" asked Frankie.

The rain was pattering so fast on the top of the carriage, that he did not hear at first; but when Willie repeated his brother's question, papa said, "We have ten miles to go before dinner; and then twenty-two afterwards. How many does that make?"

Frankie thought for a minute, and then answered, "Thirty-two, papa."

"If you're so tired," said Willie, "why don't you play school? I'll be the first class."

"So will I," said papa, laughing.

"O, that will be splendid!" said Nelly, clapping her hands.

"Will you be the teacher, mamma?" asked Frankie, quite forgetting his fatigue.

"No, dear, Willie may turn his back to the horses, and be the teacher first. You can take turns."

"Why didn't I think of this way before?" said Willie; "it's real nice. The rain came pouring right in my face. Now I can put this shawl up, and keep it all off."

"You crowd my knees dreadfully," said Frankie.

"Don't be impatient, dear," said his mother. "We must all try to be accommodating when we are out in the rain. Your brother has been sitting very patiently with the rain beating in his face, and you will be glad, I'm sure, to have him with us behind."

"I can't move my feet at all," said Frankie, in an impatient tone.

"Move a little this way, then; I am sure we can make room for all. Perhaps," she said softly, "there is somebody in your corner who ought to be driven out."

The little boy turned quickly round before he thought that his mother meant Satan; and this made them all laugh. Frankie was still rather fretful, but Willie began blowing with all his might. Willie and Nelly both looked so merry that he put away his naughty feelings, began to laugh, and soon found plenty of room on the seat.