Madeline Leslie

“ If you try to be good, and when you hear Satan tempting you to do such wicked things, tell him at once to go away, then the good Spirit will come and help you to be kind, and to do every thing that is right. If you had not been listening to Satan this morning, you could have heard him, though he talks very softly indeed."
"What did he say, mamma?" asked Frankie. [50]
"I suppose he was saying, 'Willie is a very kind brother, and loves you dearly. I wouldn't trouble him, my dear;' and then when I spoke, perhaps he said, 'Your mother knows what is right, little boy. ”

“ 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 [91] 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. ”

“ 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 [61] 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. ”

“ Sometimes he was wild and full of fun, so that when Frankie wanted to take [20] the stick from his mouth and put it in the barrow, Ponto would spring up into the air, and run away; but when he heard his master say, "Come here, sir," he would be sober in a moment. O, Ponto was a very knowing dog indeed!
When the barrow was full, Frankie rolled it to the back door, and put it in a basket set there for him by Jane. When she saw him coming, she called [21] out through the window, "Sure and he's not a baby at all, but a man entirely, to be bringing me all my wood. ”

“ His mamma was very much troubled about it, and she said to herself, "If I do not correct my little son, he will grow more unhappy, and his temper will [44] become so sullen that no one will love him; and what is worst of all, God will not love him." She went away alone into her chamber, and knelt down by her bed, and asked God to direct her what to do in order to make Frankie a good boy.
I suppose God did put some good thoughts into her mind, for the next day, when the little boy was naughty again, she arose at once, and led him away to her [45] chamber, and talked with him a long time. ”

“ It does one's heart good just to see how the little fellow enjoys his brother's sport." [11]
Back of the house where he lived there was a barn. His papa did not keep a horse in it, but one day, after some months, a gentleman came to pass a few days at the cottage, and his horse was put up in the barn. One pleasant evening, when papa, and mamma, and their friends were walking in the garden, the gentleman said he would lead his horse down to the pond, and give him some water to drink, [12] and he invited Willie to ride upon the horse's back. ”

“ 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 [81] 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?" ”

“ A few days after Frankie's ride on horseback, he was out of doors playing with Ponto, and he thought he would take a walk down to the pond. Before this time, he had been a very good boy, and had never gone through the gate into the road, though sometimes he would stand at the fence, and [25] look through to see people passing by.
Mamma was busy in the parlor with company; and Sally was at work in the back part of the house.
When Ponto saw that his master was going into the street, he began to bark furiously, for he knew this was not exactly right. Mrs. Gray heard him, and ran to the window ”

“ Willie's papa helped him on, and he held fast by the horse's mane. When he came back, Frankie wanted to ride too. Mamma was afraid he would fall; but the gentleman said the horse was gentle, and papa said he would hold him very tightly.
So Frankie mounted the horse, and took his first lesson in riding. Papa was going to walk [13] about the grounds, but the little boy said, "Pony want water gen, papa; pony must have more water." ”

“ 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?" [58]
"Yes, mamma," said Frankie; "may I whip him out?" ”

“ So Sally sat down on the carpet, and Frankie passed her the [56] 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?" ”

“ 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, [84] 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. ”

“ And hard enough she has to work,
[76] To help her ma—poor little soul!
"As soon as strawberries are ripe,
She picks all day, and will not stop
To play or eat a single one,
Till she has filled her basket up. ”

“ Next he must try in his lessons. Sometimes the words are very long, and boys say, 'I can't learn them;' but my company will never say so.
"My boys will say, 'I'll try.' If the geography lesson is difficult, and you can't readily find the places on the maps, you will think of your pretty plumes, and say, 'I won't give up ”