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+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10779 ***
+
+[Illustration: Front Cover]
+
+
+
+
+
+HAPPY LITTLE EDWARD,
+
+AND HIS PLEASANT
+
+RIDE AND RAMBLES
+
+IN THE COUNTRY.
+
+
+
+
+1850.
+
+
+
+
+HAPPY
+
+LITTLE EDWARD,
+
+AND HIS PLEASANT,
+
+RIDE AND RAMBLES
+
+IN THE COUNTRY.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+  Come, little children, wake from sleep,
+  And into the country take a peep;
+  Happy Edward leads the way,
+  So haste to the country, haste away!
+
+
+
+
+1850.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: Edward and Aunt Mary.]
+
+
+
+
+HAPPY LITTLE EDWARD.
+
+
+Edward Jones was about four years old. He was a good, and of course a
+happy little boy, and he lived in a beautiful city in Connecticut, with
+his kind parents, and his brothers and sisters, and a dear good aunt,
+who took care of him.
+
+Edward's mother had a sister living in Massachusetts, who was the wife
+of a farmer, and one beautiful Spring morning, Mr. and Mrs. Jones
+determined to pay her a visit, and to take Edward with them.
+
+The little fellow was much pleased to hear this, you may be sure; and
+when the carriage drove up to the door, he could hardly wait for aunt
+Mary to dress him, comb his hair, and get him ready for the journey.
+
+At first Edward's attention was taken up with the motion of the
+carriage, and the sight of the horses, as they rode swiftly on their
+journey; but after a while he began to notice the different objects
+which presented themselves, as the road led through the green woods, and
+on the banks of the broad river, or swept by the pretty villages which
+lay in their route.
+
+About noon they stopped at a retired and shady spot on the banks of the
+river, to give the horses time to get a little rest and refreshment.
+
+So Edward and his mother seated themselves on the green bank; and she
+let him take off his cap and dip his fingers in the clear bright stream,
+which she told him was running to swell the waters of the great ocean.
+It was a lovely day; the air was full of the sweet scent of the early
+flowers, and the grass was green and bright with the freshness of
+Spring.
+
+"What is that running up the tree, mother?" asked Edward; "see what
+bright _quick_ eyes it has, and a bushy tail;--there he goes,
+mother!"
+
+[Illustration: The Squirrel.]
+
+"That is a squirrel, my dear; a _brown_ squirrel. They are not all
+like this one. There are _black_ and _gray_ squirrels; and in
+some very cold countries, _white_ ones. But hark! my son; what
+sound is that?"
+
+Edward listened, and heard something like the sound of a little hammer
+against a tree. He ran into the wood, and there he saw a little bird
+knocking with its bill against the trunk of a tree, just as if it wanted
+some one to _open the door!_ Soon he saw it draw out of the bark of
+the tree, a little worm, which hung upon the end of its tongue as if it
+had been a hook! His mother told him this little bird, was called a
+woodpecker, and this was the way it took its food.
+
+Edward's father now put him in the carriage, and they proceeded on their
+journey. For the first few miles Edward could think of nothing but the
+squirrel, the bird, and the pleasant spot where he had been looking at
+them. Then he began to think of the friends he was going to see, and
+wondered what his cousins would say, and how they would look when they
+saw him.
+
+A short time before sunset, they stopped before a neat and pretty
+cottage, with a large yard before it; in which two rosy boys and a sweet
+little girl were playing together.
+
+"There, Edward," said his mother, "are your cousins, William, George,
+and Ann, all clapping their hands with joy at seeing us; and there is
+aunt Harriet just coming to the door with her baby in her arms."
+
+Oh, what a joyful time these little cousins had. Edward told all the
+wonders he had seen, and William and George told of many more that they
+would show him. George said he should ride on his little pony, and
+William promised to show him all his pet rabbits, while Ann insisted
+that he would be delighted to see her pretty chickens, and to go to her
+play-room, and see her dolls.
+
+Before dark, Edward's aunt called the children to supper, and they all
+sat down to the table, where Mrs. Wilson gave them some nice new bread,
+and fresh butter, with some beautiful honey in the honey-comb, such as
+Edward had never seen before. He was quite hungry, as well as much
+fatigued with his day's ride, and as soon as he had finished his supper,
+he went into the parlor, and kissing his parents, he bade them and all
+his friends _good night_, and retired to rest. But before he got
+into bed, he knelt down and thanked GOD for taking care of him through
+the day, and prayed that He would protect and care for him through the
+night.
+
+The next morning the children were all up early, and Edward went out
+with his cousins to see William's rabbits. He was delighted with the
+beautiful little animals, and asked a great many questions about them,
+which William kindly answered. He admired them so much that he could
+hardly be persuaded to leave them, till Ann told him he would not be
+as obedient as the young rabbits were, if he did not go in at once,
+for her mother had twice called them to go in and get their breakfasts.
+
+Just as Edward had finished his breakfast, he looked out and saw a
+beautiful bird sitting on the branch of a young apple-tree, eating the
+tender buds, and singing most sweetly.
+
+[Illustration: The Bullfinch.]
+
+"There is that mischievous _bullfinch_ again," said Mr. Wilson; "if
+I do not drive him away, I shall never have an apple on that favorite
+young tree of mine." Then he took down his gun and went into the garden,
+followed by the children. But Mr. Wilson was a kind man and would not
+harm a living thing. So he pointed the gun away from the bird and fired.
+The loud report not only frightened the bird, but startled little Edward
+also, which made his cousins laugh heartily. The children all thought
+they had rather lose the apples than such a pretty bird, and were not
+quite satisfied with Mr. Wilson for sending him away. To divert their
+minds, he told them to put on their hats, and take a ramble in the
+fields with him, and perhaps he would walk with them up the high hill
+near his farm, if their little visitor thought his legs were strong
+enough to climb so high. Edward thought they were; so they set off,
+shouting and racing through the fields, while Mr. Wilson followed
+leisurely in the road.
+
+They found it rather hard work to climb the hill, which was very steep,
+but when they got to the top, they were well paid for all their trouble.
+They could see many pretty towns, with the beautiful river gliding along
+through them, and many high hills, like the one they were on, far away
+in the distance. Mr. Wilson pointed out and told them the names of the
+different villages which were in sight, and thus amused and instructed
+them till they were all well rested. Then they started down the hill,
+and except a few tumbles, reached the foot of it in safety.
+
+Mr. Wilson then led the way for a walk over his large farm. In one of
+the fields they stopped to see a flock of sheep. Among them were a great
+number of pretty white lambs, skipping and jumping about, kicking up
+their little legs, wagging their tails, and looking so innocent and
+happy, that Edward could not bear to leave them. But his cousins, who
+were accustomed to these things, were impatient to be gone, and Edward
+was soon scampering after them, from field to field;--first to see the
+men plowing, where George mounted one horse and William another, and
+rode before the plows for a few minutes; then, leaving Mr. Wilson there,
+they chased the butterflies, and picked the early flowers, as they
+ranged through other fields, until they came to a pleasant little piece
+of woods, where they stopped to look at the old hollow oak, in which all
+four could just crowd in. Here they stopped to rest a little, and to
+watch the labors of a a pretty bird building its nest on the branch of a
+neighboring tree.
+
+Then they wandered down in a meadow to get a drink of water from a fine
+spring near the foot of a huge old tree, and having refreshed
+themselves, turned their steps homewards. On their way, the cousins
+showed Edward a shining little brook of clear water, which ran murmuring
+through their farm, and pointed out a great many objects which were
+quite new to him. It was a pleasant and joyful ramble to them all; but
+Edward was well tired when they reached home.
+
+[Illustration: The Ferry.]
+
+The next day Edward and his parents started for home. He was sorry to
+leave his cousins, but he began to wish to see his brothers and sisters
+once more. It was a pleasant morning, and Mr. Jones decided to take a
+different route from the one they had traveled before. Edward was
+delighted with the fine scenery which this new route opened to his view.
+In the afternoon they came to the river side, where there was a ferry. A
+large boat was there, for the horses and carriage, and a small one in
+which Edward and his parents seated themselves and were soon rowed
+across; The sun had not yet set, but threw a bright yellow light on the
+water, that made it look like gold. Edward did not wonder that the geese
+and ducks were so fond of swimming about on it, and he felt sorry when
+they reached the opposite shore, and his pleasant sail was over. Then he
+and his mother sat down on the green bank to look at the beautiful sight
+before them, while the horses and carriages were coming across. There
+was the river all smooth and shining like gold, and beyond it were the
+high mountains, looking like purple clouds, and opposite, the sun was
+setting in all the rich splendor of a summer evening.
+
+Soon the carriage drove up, and they all got in and continued their
+journey. Edward saw nothing that pleased him so much as that river, and
+often wished that he could sail over it again in the little boat. But
+soon they drew near home, and then he began to think of the joyful
+meeting he should have with his brothers and aunt Mary.
+
+The first thing they saw as they came near the house, was Edward's dog,
+Romeo, who came running up to the carriage, barking, wagging his tail,
+and looking as much pleased as Edward was.
+
+I need not tell you how happy the children were, nor what they said the
+night Edward got home; nor how delighted he was in telling of all the
+sights he had seen. But I think he learned enough during this pleasant
+journey, to make him a somewhat wiser, if not a happier little boy.
+
+END.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+[Illustration: Back Cover]
+
+
+BABCOCK'S
+No. 3 TOY BOOKS,
+NEW SERIES,
+MORAL, INSTRUCTIVE, AND
+ENTERTAINING,
+
+ALL BEAUTIFULLY
+EMBELLISHED
+WITH
+SUPERIOR
+ENGRAVINGS.
+
+EDITED BY
+THOMAS TELLER.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+CHILDREN'S BOOKS
+OF
+EVERY DESCRIPTION
+
+CONSTANTLY PUBLISHING
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Happy Little Edward, by Unknown
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10779 ***