Little Frankie and his Mother Part 2

CHAPTER VI.

FRANKIE'S TEETH.

FRANKIE'S brother Willie had never been to school, but had learned to read and spell at home, reciting his lessons to his mamma. Papa said he was now old enough to recite with other boys. So mamma bought him a little satchel, with a strap to put over his shoulder. Then she put in it his slate, with a pencil and sponge tied to it, his reading book, and a new arithmetic with pictures of marbles, and birds, and boys in it. She washed his face and hands very clean, and curled his hair, which was so long it hung over his shoulders; then she dressed him in his new suit, with his nice s.h.i.+ning collar basted into the neck, so as to have him quite ready when his young companion called for him to go to the new school.

Willie felt very happy this bright morning. He liked the idea of going with the other boys to school. He thought it would be fine fun to play ball at recess. There was another reason for his feeling happy. Can you guess what it was? It was not that his clothes were new, and, as he could see in the gla.s.s, fitted him very well. No, it was because he had two pockets in his pantaloons. Before this time he had never had but one, and now he felt smart indeed to be able to place both hands in his pockets. He walked backwards and forwards before the long mirror in his mother's chamber, admiring himself exceedingly.

Mamma laughed heartily at the airs he put on; but before he went out, she told him no persons but rowdies walked with their hands in their pockets; that papa never did, and she should be very sorry to see her Willie walk so.

For a few days Frankie's cheeks had been very red indeed, so that Sally said he looked as handsome as a picter; but mamma was afraid it was because he was not well. He had a large tin bath tub in the form of a boat, and one morning, when she put him in it, she found his flesh was very hot. She took him out into the flannel blanket, which she always spread in her lap, and rubbed him quickly, that he should not become chilled; then she coaxed him to let her put her finger into his mouth to feel whether he had any teeth which troubled him and made him look so feverish.

He had already quite a mouth full of teeth; but she soon found that there were two large back teeth trying to force their way through the gums.

"Poor little fellow," she said; "mamma is sorry his teeth ache." She laid his aching head on her bosom, and pa.s.sed her soft hand soothingly over it, back and forth, a great many times, chanting his favorite little song, until at length he fell asleep.

"Once there was a little man, Where a little river ran; And he had a little farm, And a little dairy, O!

And he had a little plough, And a pretty dapple cow, Which he often called His pretty little Pharaoh.

"And the little maiden, Ann, With her pretty little can, Went a milking when the Morning sun was beaming, O!

But she fell,--I don't know how,-- And she stumbled o'er the plough, And the cow was much astonished At her screaming, O!

"Then the funny little man To the little river ran, To procure a little s.h.i.+ner For his dinner, O!

Then he brought it on a hook To the pretty little cook, And she placed it on the table With his ladle, O!

"Then the little maiden ran With her pretty little can, And brought some nice sweet milk from Good Mooley, Mrs. Pharaoh!

And she poured it in a bowl For the clever little soul; And she placed it by his dish, While he sat at table, O!"

Then she went and laid him in her own bed, and took her sewing to sit down beside him till he awoke.

Presently nurse came in with mamma's bonnet in her hand, and mamma's shawl on her arm, as the lady had told her she was going to walk. But now she said, "Frankie is ill, and I shall not leave him to-day."

"I thought he was not very well this morning," said nurse, "for he was very worrisome, and would not eat his breakfast."

Mamma sat with her sewing for nearly an hour, while Frankie slept, only once in a while he would moan as if he was in pain; and then she put her hand on his head again.

When he awoke his eyes were heavy, and instead of jumping out of her lap to play, he laid his head down on her shoulder.

"Does Frankie want some breakfast?" asked mamma.

He nodded his head; but when nurse brought him some nice bread and milk in his silver porringer, he only took one taste of it, and then said, "Patty want water." He could not well say Frankie, but always called himself Patty.

For several days the poor boy was quite sick, and his mamma never left him except to run for a few moments to her meals. When he was in great pain, she soothed him, rocked him, and carried him about the chamber.

Then, when he felt a little better, she sang him pretty songs, or told him stories, or showed him the pictures in his little books.

There was one little song he always loved to hear; and once, when papa and mamma were singing at prayers, he made them laugh by saying, "Mamma, sing Patty tune, pitty tee." He could not talk plain; but he meant "pretty tree."

Perhaps you have never heard this song; and I will repeat it for you:--

"Out in a beautiful field There stands a pretty pear tree, Pretty pear tree with leaves.

What is there on the tree?

A very pretty branch.

Branch on the tree, Tree in the ground.

"Out in the beautiful field There stands a pretty pear tree, Pretty pear tree with leaves.

What is there on the branch?

A very pretty bough.

Bough on the branch, Branch on the tree, Tree in the ground.

"Out in the beautiful field There stands a pretty pear tree, Pretty pear tree with leaves.

What is there on the bough?

A very pretty nest.

Nest on the bough, Bough on the branch, Branch on the tree, Tree in the ground.

"Out in a beautiful field There stands a pretty pear tree, Pretty pear tree with leaves.

What is there in the nest?

A very pretty egg.

Egg in the nest, Nest on the bough, Bough on the branch, Branch on the tree, Tree in the ground.

"Out in a beautiful field There stands a pretty pear tree, Pretty pear tree with leaves.

What is there in the egg?

A very pretty bird.

Bird in the egg, Egg in the nest, Nest on the bough, Bough on the branch, Branch on the tree, Tree in the ground."

CHAPTER VII.

FRANKIE'S BREAKFAST.

FRANKIE was now old enough to like to hear stories, and almost every day he asked, "Pease tell me tory, mamma." Sometimes, when he did not feel like playing, he would ask her a great many times in a day.

One morning she went into the nursery, after she had eaten her own breakfast, and found Sally feeding him with his bread and milk.

"He spits it out, ma'am," she said, "and won't let it down his throat."

"Patty want pig, mamma," said the little boy. He meant that he wanted a fig.

"Has he had a fig this morning?" asked mamma.

"Yes, ma'am," said nurse. "Willie came in eating one, and Frankie cried for it. So Willie gave it right up to him, though he had only taken one mouthful. I think he is the generousest boy, ma'am, that I ever see."

Mamma smiled, and seemed very happy when she heard this. You know nothing makes mammas so happy as to know that their little boys and girls are good. She said to herself, "Dear child, I will give him another when he comes in." Then she took Frankie in her arms, and told nurse to go and eat her own breakfast. She tucked the bib nicely around his neck, and then she began to feed him. But, as Sally said, he would not let it down, but spit it all over his clothes and mamma's hand.

"Patty want pig," he said again.