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diff --git a/15977.txt b/15977.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..03780fe --- /dev/null +++ b/15977.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1738 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Frank and Fanny, by Mrs. Clara Moreton + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Frank and Fanny + +Author: Mrs. Clara Moreton + +Release Date: June 3, 2005 [EBook #15977] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FRANK AND FANNY *** + + + + +Produced by Internet Archive Children's Library; University +of Florida, PM Children's Library, Laura Wisewell and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +[Illustration] + +FRANK AND FANNY: +A RURAL STORY. + +BY MRS. CLARA MORETON. + + +WITH NUMEROUS ENGRAVINGS. + + +BOSTON: +PHILLIPS, SAMPSON & CO. +1851. + + +Entered, according to act of Congress, in the year 1850, +By PHILLIPS AND SAMPSON, +In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of +Massachusetts. + + + +PREFACE. + + +To inculcate gentleness of disposition, patience, and benevolence, and +to inspire the young with a love for the simple pleasures of rural +life, is the purpose of the following story. The love of exciting +narratives is not favourable to the developement of those mild virtues +which are the most beautiful ornaments of youth; and, in the following +pages, the quiet scenes and simple characters of rural life solicit +attention, in preference to the hairbreadth 'scapes and marvellous +adventures which are often brought under the notice of the young. If +the author has succeeded in the moral purpose of her little book, she +will be satisfied with the result. + + + + +FRANK AND FANNY. + + + +CHAPTER I. + +FRANK AND FANNY'S HOME. + + +Frank and Fanny Lee were orphans. Their parents died when they were +children, leaving them to the care of their grand-parents, who lived +in the suburbs of a beautiful village, in New England. + +Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton were very fond of their grand-children, and did +every thing in their power to make them happy. They were not rich, and +therefore, had no money to throw away for useless toys; but this +caused Frank and Fanny no uneasiness. In fine weather, all the leisure +time which they could get from school, and from their tasks, was spent +in wandering through the woods which skirted the little village on +almost every side. In spring time they watched for the first flowers, +and many a bouquet of tiny 'forget-me-nots,' and dark blue, and pure +white violets, they brought to their grandmother, who welcomed the +wild flowers of spring, with as much pleasure, and youth of heart as +the grand-children. + +As the season advanced, there was no end to the variety which they +gathered; and the sweetest were daily selected for the little vase, +which always stood upon the table, beside the large family Bible, out +of which, both morning and evening, the good grandmother read to her +children. + +Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton owned the comfortable cottage, in which they +lived. It was shaded in front by a large elm tree, that spread its +arms far out over the moss-covered roof, as if it were some protecting +spirit. Around the door, a beautiful vine had been trained; and rose +bushes, and shrubs, were scattered through the yard. On one side of +the house, was a garden, where grew a profusion of currant bushes, and +raspberry vines, with many useful vegetables, and flowers were +scattered along on each side of the little walk that ran through the +centre of the garden. There were hollyhocks, and noonsleeps, and +tiger-lilies, and little patches of moss pinks, the tiny flowers all +tangled in with their green foliage, and sweet williams, and +love-lies-bleeding; and the children thought there was never such +another garden in the world. Here the children delighted to watch the +butterflies, and bees, and birds, revelling among the flowers, +especially the beautiful humming bird, with his jacket of golden +green, his ruby-colored throat, and long, slender bill, which he was +so fond of thrusting into the garden lilies and hollyhocks. He loved +to resort to the garden of Frank and Fanny, where the bright sun was +shining on the flowers. + +[Illustration: THE HUMMING BIRD.] + +Then there was a little brown arbor, with grape vines carefully +trained over it, and rustic seats within; and there were quince trees +just beyond, and up by the gateway there grew tall stalks of fennel; +and altogether, it _was_ a most delightful place. Back of the house +was an orchard, and here pippins, long-stems, flyers, greenings, and +seek-no-furthers, grew side by side. + +[Illustration: THE CEDAR BIRD.] + +Here these children delighted to watch the beautiful cedar bird with +his silky plumage, and his smart crest. He is a sociable, gentle bird, +who allowed the children to come very near him, as he was perched upon +the cedar bush. + +The stone wall which surrounded the orchard, afforded shelter to a +great number of striped squirrels, whose nimble motions it was the +delight of Frank and Fanny to watch, as they scampered over the wall, +or ran along on its top, or sought a safer retreat in the thick +branches of the apple trees. This last retreat, however, was not often +sought, as the striped squirrel is not fond of trees. His nest is in +a hole under a stump, or stone wall; he seeks his living on the +ground, and is the most playful, elegant little animal I ever saw. He +is called in different parts of the country, Ground Squirrel, Chipping +Squirrel, and Chipmuck, the last being probably his Indian name. Frank +and Fanny loved the striped squirrel; but never threw stones at him, +or sought to make him a prisoner. + +[Illustration: THE STRIPED SQUIRREL.] + +The foot of the orchard was bounded by a clear, wide brook, shaded by +willows, and the fish plashed about in troops in the cool shade. + +Here upon the margin of the water, seated upon a little stump, +watching for his finny prey, the children used often to peep at the +Belted King Fisher, in his bluish coat, white collar, and prettily +marked wings. This bird's delight is to dwell on the borders of +running rivulets, or the bold cataracts of mountain streams, which +abound with small fish and insects, his accustomed fare. When the fish +do not approach his station, he flies along, just over the water, and +occasionally hovers with rapidly moving wings over the spot where he +sees a trout or minnow. In the next instant, descending with a quick +spiral sweep, he seizes a fish, with which he rises to his post and +swallows it in an instant. All these proceedings were watched +frequently by the children, with intense delight, as they stood +concealed among the bushes, not daring to move for fear of disturbing +the bird. + +[Illustration: THE KING FISHER.] + +On the other side of the brook was a cranberry marsh, with a raised +road passing through to the pine forest, still beyond, where the +children gathered the ground pine, and hunted for the bright scarlet +berries of the winter-green. When the children resorted to the +cranberry marsh to obtain a supply of berries for their mother, they +often saw the beautiful meadow lark, crouching among the reeds, or +flying slowly and steadily away, as they approached her, uttering her +lisping, melancholy note, which sounded like, "_et-se-de-ah_," and +sometimes, "_tai-sedilio_." This bird was much admired by Fanny, who +was dreadfully grieved when a neighboring sportsman shot a number of +meadow larks for the sake of their flesh, which is almost equal in +flavor to that of the partridge. + +[Illustration: THE MEADOW LARK.] + +[Illustration: THE AMERICAN AVOSET.] + +In this marsh, too, the children sometimes saw that singular bird, the +Avoset, with its curious curved bill, its noisy clamor, and its long +legs, bending and tottering under him, as he ran about the marsh or +waded into its pools. He was a great curiosity in his way. + +Thus the cranberry marsh had its pleasures for Frank and Fanny. + +But this was not their favorite resort. They loved best to cross the +meadows in front of the house, to a forest, where the woods were more +open, and where trees of every variety, cast their shadows upon the +green turf, and wild flowers grew upon every hillock, and peeped out +from every mossy glade. There were little wildernesses of +honey-suckles, too, scattered through the woods, and long, pale green +fern leaves, fit for a fairy to sway to and fro upon; and there were +vines of wild grapes, with branches so strong, that they often made +swings of them. + +Sometimes in their rambles in the woods, they started a wild hare, +which they called a rabbit, who fled away from them with long leaps, +and was soon out of sight, so that they could hardly catch a glimpse +of him in his rapid flight. But they were always greatly excited with +a view of him, and lamented that they had no means of catching him. + +[Illustration: THE RABBIT.] + +Some of Frank's school fellows, however, were more skilled in hunting. +They knew how to set snares for the poor rabbits, and were very often +successful in catching them. By means of an elastic branch, or +sapling, bent over, and furnished with a snare of strong twine, they +contrived to catch the poor rabbit by the neck, and string him up in +the air, like a criminal convicted of murder. It was no misfortune to +Frank to be ignorant of this hunting craft. + +[Illustration: BOYS SNARING RABBITS.] + +Another curious animal, which the children sometimes saw, and which +may be seen occasionally in the pastures and pine forests, in all +parts of our country, from Maine to Carolina, was the woodchuck, or +ground-hog, as it is sometimes called. It feeds, generally, upon +clover and other succulent vegetables, and hence it is often injurious +to the farmer. It is said to bring forth four or five young at a +litter. Its gait is awkward, and not rapid; but its extreme vigilance, +and acute sense of hearing, prevent it from being often captured. It +forms deep and long burrows in the earth, to which it flies upon the +least alarm. It appears to be sociable in its habits; for upon one +occasion, we noticed some thirty or forty burrows in a field of about +five acres. These burrows contain large excavations, in which they +deposit stores of provisions. It hybernates during the winter, having +first carefully closed the entrance of its burrow from within. It is +susceptible of domestication, and is remarkable for its cleanly +habits. Its cheeks are susceptible of great dilatation, and are used +as receptacles for the food which it thus transports to its +burrow. The capture of the woodchuck, forms one of the most exciting +sports of boys, and it is very easily domesticated. + +[Illustration: THE WOODCHUCK.] + +The woods abounded in other wild animals, all small and harmless, but +extremely interesting to the children. In their frequent visits to the +woods, it was their delight to watch the animals and birds, and +observe their motions, habits, and modes of life. But they were not +fond of disturbing them; and when they deviated from their rule in +this respect, on one remarkable occasion, as we shall now relate, it +gave them occasion for much sorrow. + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE YOUNG CHICKADEE. + + +One Saturday afternoon, the children found in the woods, a grape vine, +larger than any that they had before discovered. One end clasped a +decayed tree, and as they bore their weight upon the vine, to try its +strength, they were startled by a hoarse cry above them. Looking up, +they saw two brown birds, beating the air with their wings, and +screaming, "tshe daigh, daigh, daigh; tshe daigh, daigh, daigh!" At +the same time, from amidst the green foliage which twined about the +dead tree, they heard a feeble, plaintive cry from several little +throats, "te-derry, te-derry." Frank and Fanny were much amused. They +had never seen a bird's nest so low before, and they had been +forbidden to climb the trees; but now Frank saw, that by placing one +large stone upon another, he could reach up, so as to look into the +nest. He did so, and found there were six little birds in it. But +Fanny begged him to get down, the poor parent birds were so +distressed. So he went and stood by her, upon the turf, where she was +kneeling, and they both watched the frighted mother bird, as she +fluttered back to her nest. The other still flapped the air with his +wings, and by his angry notes, brought another bird to the scene. This +one looked so plump and dignified, perched upon the bough of an +adjoining tree, that Fanny guessed he was the grandpapa. + +[Illustration: THE CHICKADEE.] + +They became so interested in the birds, that they forgot how rapidly +the time was passing, and it was nearly sundown when they started to +go home. They skipped lightly over the soft, green grass of the +meadows, stopping now and then, to look at some curious insect, and +then walking on slowly with their arms around each other. + +[Illustration: FRANK AND FANNY IN THE WOODS.] + +Frank was very fond of his sister, seldom leaving her for any other +playmate. He remembered his dying mother's charge. She had called +both children to her bed side, before her death, and placing Fanny's +hand in Frank's, had said, "My son, in a few hours you and Fanny will +be motherless; promise me that you will try to fill my place; that you +will cherish and love your sister, with all the care and tenderness of +which you are capable; and Fanny, my little darling, you must remember +mamma, and try never to be peevish and fretful, so that Frank will +love to be with you, and take care of you; and both of you must always +be the same good and obedient children to your grand-parents, that you +have ever been;" and Frank promised, through his sobs, that he would +never neglect his gentle little sister. He had kept his promise +faithfully. More than a year had now passed away, and very seldom had +Fanny known what it was to have her brother cross, or unkind to her. + +Frank was now ten years old, and Fanny seven. In all the village, +there were not two happier, or better behaved children. + +We will now go back to the pleasant green meadows, where we left them +on their way home. Fanny was looking very serious, when Frank said: + +"Are you tired, sister? If you are, I will carry you pick-a-back +back." + +"Oh, no, I am not one single bit tired." + +"Then what makes you look so sober?" + +"I was wishing that I could have one of those little birds to love, +and to take care of always. I do think that it would make me very +happy to have a dear little bird, that would know me, and turn his +bright, black eyes up to me, like Mary Day's little canary. When she +calls, "Billy, Billy," he turns his yellow head, first one side, then +the other; and when he sees her, he sings _so_ sweetly! Oh, couldn't +you get just one of those little birdies for me, Frank?" + +Frank looked very thoughtful for a moment, and Fanny spoke again. + +"Just one; you know there are six little ones." + +"I know there are six, Fanny; but you heard how the poor birds cried +and scolded, when I only peeped into the nest; and if I took one away, +what would they do?" + +Fanny thought an instant, and then said: + +"I did not have six mammas, I only had one; and God took my mamma away +from me, and I am sure the birds could spare me one little one, when +they have six, better than I could spare my mamma, when I only had +one." + +Fanny's reasoning seemed very correct to Frank; he was not old enough +to explain the difference to her; so, promising to bring her one of +the birds, he left her, and ran back, over the meadows, while Fanny +kept on her way home, because she knew her grandmother always expected +them earlier on Saturday afternoons. But though she made haste, it +was quite sundown when she reached home. The snow white cloth was +spread upon the table for tea, and Sally was cutting the fresh rye +bread, as Fanny entered the room. Her grandmother sat by the little +table, between the windows, and looked up to welcome Fanny, but +missing Frank, she asked where he was. + +"He has gone back to the woods, grandmother, to get"----then Fanny +hesitated, for she remembered how often she had been told, that it was +wicked to rob the bird's nest, and she had not thought it would be +stealing the bird, until now. She felt ashamed to tell her +grandmother, and so she hurried through the room, and went to the +closet to hang up her sun bonnet. + +Pretty soon she heard the garden gate swing to, and she ran out into +the back yard, to meet Frank, who was hurrying along with a sober +face, very different from his usual joyous expression. He held his cap +together with both hands, and Fanny's heart beat hard, when she heard +the feeble plaint of the poor imprisoned bird. + +"Oh, Frank, I am so sorry," were the first words that she said, "I did +not think that it would be stealing, until I got home, and then I was +ashamed to tell grandmother what you had gone back for. Oh, I am so +sorry." + +"And so am I," said Frank; "it almost made me cry to hear the poor +birds fret so. When I took it away, one of them flow close around my +head, and when I ran on to get away from it, I hit my foot against a +stone, and stumbled down, and I am afraid I hurt the bird. All the way +across the meadow, I could hear the old birds crying so sorrowfully, +"chick-a-dee-dee-dee," and it made my heart ache so, that I should +have carried it back, if it had not been for you." + +"Oh, dear, I wish you had. It is too late to carry it back to-night, +and what will grandmother say to us." + +"Supposing we don't tell her to-night, and to-morrow morning we will +get up early, and carry it back, and then we can tell her all about +it." + +"No, we can't do that, Frank, for to-morrow is Sunday, and grandmother +does not let us go into the woods on Sunday; oh, what shall we do?" + +Frank now uncovered the bird, and Fanny took it gently in her hand, +smoothed the glossy black head, and the brown wings, but it gave her +no pleasure, for the poor little thing wailed pitifully, and looked so +frightened out of its dark hazel eyes. + +All the time that they had been talking, their grandmother had been +standing at the open window, close by them, but the vines hid her from +sight, and they did not know that she was there. When they went into +the house, they did not see her, and so they carried the bird up +stairs, into Fanny's room, and made a nest out of soft wool, and +placed the little bird in it; but it fluttered out, and Frank saw that +one of its wings was broken. Then he knew that he must have broken it +when he fell, and the tears came to his eyes, as he laid it in the +nest again, and covered it over with the wool. + +"Let us go and tell grandmother all about it," said he, "for, perhaps, +she may know how to mend the broken wing." + +Just then they heard Sally calling them to supper, and they went down +stairs, and sat down at the table. But the bowls of new milk remained +untouched. They felt too sad to eat, for Fanny could hear the low +plaint of the bird, in the room above; and still louder sounded in +Frank's memory, the sad, "chick-a-dee-dee-dee," of the mourning +mother. + +"Why do you not eat your supper, children?" inquired their +grandmother, kindly. + +Fanny burst into tears, but Frank answered: + +"I have done something very naughty, grandmother, and we both feel too +bad to eat. We did not want to tell you to-night, for we knew it would +make you unhappy to hear that we had done wrong, but we cannot keep it +to ourselves any longer." + +"Frank would not have done it, if it had not been for me, +grandmother," sobbed Fanny; "but I wanted a little bird so badly, and +I forgot that it was wicked, and I teazed Frank to go back to the +woods, and get me one, and now I am so sorry." + +Their grandmamma looked very grave, but she answered, + +"You have done right, my children, to tell me about it. I should have +been still more grieved if you had concealed it from me. As it is, I +feel sorry for you, for I know how much you are both suffering for +your thoughtlessness: now, try to eat your supper, and we will take +good care of the bird to-night, and to-morrow morning, before church, +I will send Sally with Frank, to carry it back again, for it will be +an errand of mercy to the poor little bird." + +The children were very much relieved by their grandmother's +sympathy. After supper, they brought the bird down, and showed her the +broken wing, and Frank told how he feared he had broken it. Sally +tried to feed it, but it would not eat; and the children felt very sad +again, when they found that the wing could not be mended. After +carefully laying the bird, with the wool, in the basket, Sally +prepared the children for bed. Then their grandmother read to them a +chapter from the Bible, after which they sung, in sweet tones, this +little evening hymn, which I will copy here, as it is such a good one, +for all little children to repeat: + + EVENING HYMN. + + "LORD, I have passed another day, + And come to thank thee for thy care; + Forgive my faults in work and play, + And listen to my evening prayer. + + Thy favor gives me daily bread, + And friends, who all my wants supply; + And safely now I rest my head, + Preserved and guarded by thine eye. + + Look down in pity, and forgive + Whatever I've said or done amiss; + And help me, every day I live, + To serve thee better than in this. + + Now, while I speak, be pleased to take + A helpless child beneath thy care, + And condescend, for Jesus' sake, + To listen to my evening prayer." + +Then Frank and Fanny kissed each other 'good night,' and Frank went to +his little room, which was close to the one where Sally slept with +Fanny. + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE BIRD'S FUNERAL + + +The next morning was a beautiful one. The air seemed full of +fragrance, and the sunshine rippled down through the leaves of the old +elm tree, falling in little golden waves of light upon the vines, that +were twined about the doorway and casements of the cottage. + +Fanny was awakened from her sleep, by the joyous notes of a robin, +that had perched close beside her window, and was shaking the dew in +showers from the leaves, with every motion of his restless little +wings. She sprang out upon the floor, fancying for a moment, that it +was her chick-a-dee, that was singing so merrily; and she hastened to +the basket, and carefully lifted the wool. She was grievously +disappointed, for the poor bird lay stretched upon its back, and when +she lifted it, she found it was quite cold and dead! Her little bosom +swelled, and large tears gushed from her eyes. It was more than she +could bear, and when Sally came into the room, a few moments +afterwards, she found her sobbing bitterly. + +[Illustration: THE ROBIN.] + +Frank was in the room below, studying over his Sabbath school lesson, +but when he heard his sister crying, he dropped his book, and hastened +up to her. Sally had told him, that the bird was dead; and he, too, +felt very badly about it, but he could not bear to hear his sister +grieve so. + +"Don't cry so, dear sister," he said, "I will earn some money, and buy +you a Canary, like Mary Day's." + +"No, no, Frank; I don't want any more birds; and, O, how I do wish I +had never wanted this one," and then she cried again, as though her +little heart was breaking. + +It was some time before she was at all pacified, and even then, the +long sighs seemed almost to choke her. + +As Sally said, she was, indeed, 'very much afflicted.' + +After breakfast, her grandmother, to divert her mind, took her in her +lap, and read to her Bible stories, until the first bell rang for +church. Then Fanny was dressed in a neat lawn, and her long curls were +fastened back, under her simple straw bonnet; and taking hold of +Frank's hand, they walked to church with their grand-parents. + +Several times during the sermon, Fanny's lips quivered, and tears +started to her eyes, but she looked at the minister, and tried very +hard, to forget the little dead chick-a-dee. + +After church, they staid to Sunday school. When they went home, Fanny +asked if they might not stay at home that afternoon, so as to go down +in the woods, and bury the bird. Her grandmother told her that that +would not be right; and Fanny said very earnestly, + +"Why not, grandmother? Wouldn't that be an errand of mercy?" This made +her grandmother smile; but she told her that the poor bird's +sufferings were now over, and that it was to shorten them, that she +had given her consent to Frank's carrying it into the woods, on the +Sabbath. + +After dinner, they all went to church again, but Fanny was very warm +and tired; so her grandmother took off her bonnet, and laid her head +in her lap, and she soon fell asleep. Just as the minister sat down, +after finishing his sermon, Fanny turned restlessly, and said, "poor, +dear little birdie." The church was so still, that though she spoke +low, she was heard all around. It made the children smile, but Frank +blushed, and felt almost as badly as his grandmother did. She woke +Fanny up, and soon after service was over, and they walked slowly home +again. Then Frank and herself sang little hymns, and read their +Sabbath school books until sundown, when their grandmother gave them +permission to walk in the garden. They talked a great deal about the +bird. Frank said he would make a coffin for it, and Fanny picked +mullen leaves to wrap around it. + +The next morning they woke up very early, and Frank nailed some pieces +of shingles together, and Fanny folded the leaves about the bird, and +laid it in. Then she picked rose buds, and put them around, and every +thing was prepared for the little bird's funeral. + +But their grandmother said there was too much dew on the grass for +them to go down through the meadows that morning; so they borrowed a +piece of black cambric from Sally, and spread it over the little box, +which they called the coffin; and Frank darkened the windows, as he +remembered they had done when his mother died. Then they left the bird +alone, and went down stairs to breakfast, after which they studied +their lessons until school time. + +At school, they looked very solemn all the forenoon. Their teacher +noticed it, and asked Fanny what was the matter. + +"We are going to a bird's funeral, Miss Norton," said Fanny, "and we +feel very afflicted." The teacher had to bite her lips to keep from +smiling. Frank noticed it, and said, + +"It was Sally, Miss Norton, that put that into Fanny's head; but we +have reason to feel badly, for if it had not been for us, the little +bird would have been alive now." + +When they had told Miss Norton about it, she said that she did not +wonder that they should feel bad, and the children saw that they had +her sympathy also. + +At noon, their grandmother thought there would scarcely be time for +them to go down to the woods, and back, between dinner and school +time; so the funeral was again postponed. + +But after school was out in the afternoon, the children hastened home, +and bearing the little box, still covered with the black cambric, they +walked slowly down through the meadows, stopping just at the edge of +the woods, a few rods from the tree that contained the nest, from +which Frank had taken the little bird only two days before. + +When they heard the notes of the brother and sister birds, Fanny +thought, that had it not been for her, the little one that they +carried would have been chirping as merrily as they, and this made her +cry again. + +She sat down on a little mount of grass, and watched Frank as he +prepared the grave. It was a beautiful spot. The broad, green boughs +of a noble oak shaded them from the sun, and a placid little brook +wound along through the long grass and brake leaves at their feet. +Tall stems of blue-bells blossomed around, and modest little daisies +sprang from the turf every where. After Frank finished burying the +bird, he heaped up the green moss, all about it, and then sat down +beside his sister. Putting his arm around her neck, he drew her close +to him, while he clasped both of her hands in his. + +[Illustration: FRANK AND FANNY.] + +Her eyes still rested upon the little mount of moss beneath which the +bird was buried, and the tears were still welling from them. + +"Don't cry any more, dear Fanny," he said; "don't cry any more, I am +sure we have both repented doing so wrong, and we never shall forget +how unhappy it has made us. Grandmother has often said that every +thing is for the best; and perhaps, this will make us more careful to +try to do right--so don't cry any more." + +"I do try not to cry, Franky, and then I think how sweetly the little +bird would have been singing to-day, if it had not been for me, and +how badly the papa and mamma birds must have felt, when you took it +away, and I can't help crying. And perhaps, the little bird will go +to heaven, Frank, and it might see our mamma, and tell her how naughty +we had been to take it from its nest, and then she would think we were +such bad children--oh, dear;" and Fanny breathed another long sigh. + +For some time the children sat very quietly, occupied with their own +thoughts, but at length Frank proposed that they should gather twigs, +and make a fence around the grave. Alter this was completed, it looked +very neat, and Frank thought that if the birds could see it, they +would think it was a very nice little grave. + +[Illustration] + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +COUNTRY AMUSEMENTS AND OCCUPATIONS. + + +Frank and Fanny were permitted to keep pigeons. They had a pigeon +house at the back of the barn, with windows opening into the yard, +which could be entered by going up into the hay loft, and opening a +little door. Fanny often went up there to look at the eggs, and play +with the young pigeons. Indeed, the old ones were quite tame, and not +at all afraid of her. + +[Illustration: FANNY IN THE PIGEON HOUSE.] + +All the various occupations of the neighboring farmers were observed +by these children with great attention; because they were desirous of +gaining information by their own observation. The ploughing of the +ground in the spring, and the breaking of it up with the harrow, to +prepare it for receiving grain, such as barley, rye, and wheat, were +operations which interested them very much, as well as the sowing of +the wheat, and harrowing it so as to cover the seed. + +[Illustration: HOEING CORN.] + +Then, again, the culture of Indian corn, or maize, was another curious +operation. They saw the farmer, after ploughing up the ground, making +it into little hillocks with his hoe; each hillock, or hill, as he +called it, received a shovel full of manure, before the corn was +dropped in, which last operation, Frank and Fanny sometimes assisted +their neighbor, Farmer Baldwin, to perform. Afterwards they saw the +farmer hoe the corn, loosening the soil round the plant, and cutting +up the weeds with his hoe. In summer, they often enjoyed a feast of +green corn, roasted or boiled, and when it was gathered, in autumn, +they assisted the farmer in husking it. + +[Illustration: SHEEP WASHING.] + +Farmer Baldwin's sheep were objects of great interest to the children, +and the little lambs they very justly regarded as types of purity and +innocence. When the season of sheep washing and shearing came, they +went over to the farmer's, and witnessed these amusing operations with +great delight. + +[Illustration: SHEEP SHEARING] + +Very sorrowful were they when they heard of the disaster which +happened to the good farmer's flock, by the great snow storm. The +sheep were in a pasture quite distant from the village, late in +autumn, when just before night there came up a sudden and violent +storm of snow, and Farmer Baldwin and his hired men got the flock home +with some difficulty, losing several lambs in the snow. + +[Illustration: FARMER BALDWIN'S DISASTER.] + +When the season for harvesting the grain arrived, the children's +services were sometimes required by the farmer, to carry the dinner to +the reapers, out in the field where they were reaping the wheat with +sickles, and binding it into sheaves. An expedition of this kind was +quite delightful to Frank, who always felt proud of being useful, and +never neglected an opportunity of rendering good service to the +farmer. His good conduct in this respect, not only gained him the +respect and good will of Farmer Baldwin, but it was well requited, +when the apples and pears were gathered, when the potatoe crop came +in; and when the festive occasions of Thanksgiving day, Christmas, and +the New Year, served to remind the worthy farmer, that a brace of +fowls, or a turkey, might be acceptable to Frank's grandmother. Very +light was Frank's step when he carried the reapers their dinner. +Sometimes he was accompanied by his sister on this useful errand, but +he went oftener alone. But before he returned home, he made a point of +picking up a few dry sticks for kindling wood, which he brought home +on his shoulder. + +[Illustration: REAPING.] + +[Illustration] + +This was not the only service which Frank rendered to the farmer. He +often ran of errands for him when out of school, and the farmer was +kind to him in return. He predicted that Frank would turn out a useful +and industrious man. He was also useful to his parents. One of his +regular occupations was to drive the cow to pasture, early every +morning, and to drive her home again in the evening, after school was +done. + +[Illustration] + +Farmer Baldwin had a large hop field, which, when the hops were in +full bloom, was a very beautiful sight. Here the children were allowed +to wander about at pleasure, their favorite resort being under a +spreading oak in the hop field. Here they often spent a Saturday +afternoon, reading, or making rush baskets, or wreaths of flowers, and +listening to the sweet singing of the redstart, whose nest was in the +top of the oak. Very sweet and plaintive was the music of the +redstart. + +[Illustration: THE REDSTART.] + +When the season for hop gathering came, the children had a grand +frolic, as this kind of labor, in which they took a part, was a real +pleasure to them. The hops were so light and fragrant, and the picking +of them was such fun, and so many men and women assisted at the work, +and the long summer day was closed with such a grand rural +entertainment, when the great table was spread in the farmer's +orchard. Frank and Fanny wished that there might be a dozen hop +picking frolics every year. + +[Illustration: HOP PICKING.] + +[Illustration] + + + +CHAPTER V. + +JACK MILLS. + + +I should not omit to tell you, Mrs. Hamilton was bringing Fanny up to +be very industrious, both with her sewing and knitting, and +Mr. Hamilton taught Frank to weed the garden, and saw wood, and gather +chips; and the children were as busy as bees, when at work, and as +happy as birds, when at play. + +I have told you that Frank seldom played with any one beside his +sister; but sometimes when she was busy, after his work was dune, he +would cross over a corner of the orchard, to a little brown house that +stood near by, to play with a boy that lived there, with his mother. +Mrs. Mills was a widow; but Jack was very rough and wild, and Frank's +grandmother did not like to have him go there often. + +One day Jack called to him from the orchard, and Frank, who had just +finished his work, ran over to meet him. + +"Look here," said Jack, "see what I've got," and he held out his cap, +which was nearly half full of bird's eggs. Frank looked at them with +surprise. + +"You certainly couldn't have been so wicked as to rob the birds' nests +of all those," said Frank. + +"Couldn't I?" said Jack, and he gave a long, low whistle; "may be +_you_ never did nothing of the kind." + +"I never took eggs away from a bird in my life," said Frank; but he +held his head down, for he thought of the little bird he had taken +only a few weeks before. So he told Jack about it, and how sorry he +had felt ever since; but Jack laughed at him, and said: + +"Ah, you are nothing but a chicken-hearted fellow, any way; if you +wasn't always tied to your sister, you might come with us fellows, and +have some fun. Me, and Joe Miller, and Sam White, is going down the +meadows, to hunt for more this afternoon, and if you'll come, we'll +give you some." + +"No, indeed; I wouldn't go for any thing; and I do wish you would let +the poor birds be. Just think how badly you'd feel if you was a bird, +and had a nice little nest of your own, to find your eggs all stolen." + +"Ho, ho," laughed Jack, "here's a young parson, preaching to me, who +wasn't too good to help himself to a bird, a few weeks ago, when the +old ones did all they could to keep him away from the nest. Why didn't +you think then how you'd feel if you'd been the bird?--ha?" + +Frank did not answer; but he thought that he had suffered sufficiently +for his thoughtlessness, without being taunted with it. He tried to +persuade Jack not to rob any more birds' nests; but Jack only laughed +at him, and told him to run home to his sister, like a good little +boy. Frank was the oldest, and he felt rather vexed at the sneering +way in which Jack spoke; but he made no angry answer. + +At school time, Frank and Fanny went to school again; but Jack played +truant, as he had done in the morning, and went down in the meadows, +with the boys, whom he had told Frank he was going with. + +Miss Norton asked Frank, if he knew what had kept Jack away from +school all day, and he repeated to her, as nearly as he could, the +conversation which had taken place between them that noon. + +The next morning, when Jack came into school rather late, Miss Norton +called him up to her, and told him to read out loud, this piece, from +the Village Reader. + + "HAVE YOU SEEN MY DARLING NESTLINGS?" + + A Mother robin cried: + "I cannot, cannot find them, + Though I've sought them far and wide + + "I left them well this morning, + When I went to seek their food; + But I found upon returning, + I'd a nest, without a brood. + + "Oh, have you naught to tell me + To ease my aching breast, + About my tender offspring, + That I left within my nest? + + "I have called them in the bushes, + And the rolling stream beside: + Yet they come not at my bidding + And I fear they all have died." + + "I can tell you all about them," + Said a little wanton boy, + "For 'twas I that had the pleasure + Your nestlings to destroy. + + "But I did not think their mother + Her little ones would miss, + Or ever come to hail me + With a wailing sound like this. + + "I did not know your bosom + Was formed to suffer woe, + And mourn your murdered offspring, + Or I had not grieved you so. + + "I ever shall remember, + The plaintive sounds I've heard; + And never'll kill a nestling + To pain another bird." + +Jack was very much confused when he commenced reading. As he read on, +he looked more and more ashamed, and when he finished, his face was +almost crimson. + +Miss Norton was glad to see this, for she thought that it showed, that +he was not entirely hardened; so she suffered him to go to his seat, +without saying any more to him, hoping that this would be a sufficient +reproof. Before school was out, at noon, however, all Jack's +mortification had vanished, and in its stead, he indulged in very +angry feelings towards Frank for he was sure that Frank had told of +him. + +"I'll fix him," he said to his seat-mate, Harry Day, a merry little +fellow, whose roguish blue eyes looked quite capable of assisting +where there was any mischief going on. + +"What'll you do?" said Harry. + +"Why, I'll get him mad, and then I'll lick him; and I know how I'll +get him mad." So Jack, in accordance with his wicked resolution, wrote +in very large letters upon a slip of paper, 'BOY-GIRL;' on another +slip, he wrote, 'GIRL-BOY,' and giving Harry the one he had first +written, he told him to pin it on to Fanny's back, when they stopped +in the entry, to get their bonnets and caps. At the same time, he +slily pinned the other on Frank's roundabout. So when Frank and Fanny +went along out of school, as usual, the little children, amused by the +slips of paper, ran after them, some calling, 'boy-girl,' and others, +'girl-boy,' + +Frank did not know what all this meant; but he kept on without looking +back. + +"Look behind you," cried Harry Day, as he ran up to Fanny. Jack kept +some distance behind, and said nothing. + +"Look behind you, I say," shouted Harry again. + +Fanny was turning to look, when Frank said to her in a low tone, +without moving his head, + +"Don't look around, Fanny, and don't mind what they call us, for I +don't care." + +[Illustration: JACK MILLS'S TRICK.] + +So they kept on, side by side, the children still calling after them, +and when they got away from the school house, Jack's voice was heard +among the rest, shouting, 'tell-tale,' 'girl-baby,' and other +provoking nicknames. + +Frank took no notice of them, until his sister stooped down to pick a +flower, and as she did so, he saw the paper on her back. + +"Who did this?" he said, and as he turned toward the children, he saw +Jack throwing a stone. The stone flew past him, hitting his sister in +the face. Fanny screamed, and the blood started from her nose. + +Jack ran, and Frank's first impulse was to spring after him; but he +did not know how badly his sister might be hurt, and so he staid with +her, and wiped the blood from her face. The children crowded around, +and Harry Day unpinned the pieces of paper, for he felt ashamed, for +the part he had taken. + +All the while, Frank's heart was full of angry feeling toward Jack, +and he could not have kept them down, if he had not had his sister to +take care of. He was very glad to find that she was not seriously +hurt; for the stone had not hit her with its full force, only grazing +her nose, between the eyes. + +When they got home, Fanny told her grandmother all about it; but Frank +did not say a word. It was plain to be seen by the way in which his +head moved, as he walked the floor, that he was striving to obtain a +mastery over his passions. After a while he said, + +"I wish I could fight Jack Mills, grandmother." + +"My dear Frank," she answered, "you have forgotten the golden rule." + +"No, I haven't forgotten it, grandmother; for if Jack Mills had a +sister, and I had thrown a stone at her, he might have fought me, and +welcome." + +"But now that Jack has thrown the stone, cannot you set him the +example of overcoming evil with good?" + +"I don't know, grandmother; I think it would be very hard." + +At dinner, Frank asked his grandfather, why kings went to war with +each other. He told him, that it was generally to defend their rights. + +"Well, grandfather," said he, "if it isn't wrong for them to fight, +then I don't see why it wouldn't be right for me to fight Jack Mills, +and I know I should feel a great deal happier after I had done it." + +His grandfather told him, that it would be very wrong for him to fight +with Jack, and that it would make him no happier. He also told him, +that Jack had not had the same influences around him, which he had +always had, and that if he retaliated, he would be even worse than +Jack, who had never been instructed so faithfully in what was right +and wrong. Frank listened without appearing to be convinced. + +Then his grandmother read him the last eleven verses of the fifth +chapter of Matthew; but Frank still said, that he was afraid he could +not pray for Jack, and he knew he could not love him. + +Mrs. Mills was very poor. She took in washing when she could get it, +and when she could not, she went around from house to house, to wash +by the day, where she was wanted. Mrs. Hamilton often sent the +children to her, with vegetables, or a loaf of fresh bread, or some +warm cakes; and sometimes a pie, or a piece of meat, and many other +little niceties. That afternoon, she prepared a basket, with a paper +of tea, and some eggs, and when the children came from school, she +told them that they might go and carry it to Mrs. Mills. + +Frank did not look very much pleased at first, but when he saw Fanny +lift the basket so willingly, he took it from her, and said, + +"You do right, grandmother, to send me to do good for evil, and I will +try not to say any thing naughty to Jack." + +His grandmother told him, that she was not afraid to trust him. So the +children went along through the orchard, and when they came in sight +of the low, brown house, they saw, that the door which generally stood +open, was closed. Frank opened it, and looked in. There was a bed in +the room, and Mrs. Mills was lying down. She looked very pale and +tired; but when she saw the children, she welcomed them, and asked +them to come in. + +She tried to sit up in bed, but her head ached so, that she was +obliged to lie down again, and give up the attempt. She was really +quite ill. + +When Fanny found Mrs. Mills was sick, she said, + +"Do let me make a nice cup of tea for you. Sally says it is so good +for a head ache." + +"I haven't any tea, my child," she answered, "or I should have made +some when I finished my washing." + +"But grandmother has sent you some, and here it is, just the very +thing you want; now, do lie down, and let us fix it for you, it would +make me _so happy_." + +Mrs. Mills thought Fanny was too young; but she could not resist her +pleading tones, and so Frank raked the embers of the fire together, +picked up some chips, and heaped them on, and then filled the little +tea kettle, which was soon singing away merrily. + +Fanny took down a cup and saucer from the dresser, and drawing a +little stand near the bed, she placed them on it, then measured out +her tea into an earthern tea pot, as she had often seen her +grandmother do; and the water boiled, Frank poured it on for her, and +they put it down to draw, as Mrs. Mills told them. + +After a while, Jack came whistling into the house; but when he saw +Frank and Fanny there, he looked as though he wished he was any where +else. + +Fanny went towards him, holding one little finger up. + +"Hush, Jack, don't whistle so," she said, "your mother has the sick +head ache, and we are making a cup of tea to cure her." + +Jack looked at her in surprise. He did not know what to make of it +all. There was the mark on her face, where the stone which he had +thrown that noon, had grazed the skin, and yet, here she was, making +tea for his sick mother. + +He did not say a word, but turned and went out of the house. Frank +thought he saw something very like tears glistening in his eyes, and +he acknowledged to himself, that his grandmother was right, when she +had told him that he would be happier if he returned good for evil. + +Mrs. Mills sat up, and drank her tea, and then Fanny washed the cup +and saucer, and she felt very large to think she was able to do +it. Then she put her bonnet on, and Mrs. Mills told her that she +should tell her grandmother what a kind little girl she was, and how +much good she had done her, and Fanny and Frank both felt very happy. + +As they went out of the door, Fanny bent her head down to smell of a +beautiful damask rose that was blooming on a bush near the house. They +walked along without seeing Jack, but he saw them. When they were half +way through the orchard, he came running up behind them, and reaching +out his hand, and touching Fanny, said: + +"Won't you take this rose." She turned around, and saw that he had +picked for her the very rose that she had admired so much, and as she +took it from him, he whispered, + +"I hope you don't think that I meant to hurt you this noon, when I +threw that stone--I wouldn't hurt you for the world. I only threw it +to make you look around." + +Fanny answered him very pleasantly, and then he bade them good night, +and went back to his mother. + +When the children reached home, they told their grandmother what a +happy time they had had, and Fanny said if she was a king, and another +king wanted to fight with her, she would send some eggs and tea, and +see if that wouldn't make them good, just like it made Jack Mills. + +[Illustration] + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE NUTTING EXPEDITION. + + +One Saturday afternoon, Frank and his sister went into the woods, +provided with little baskets and bags, to gather walnuts. As they left +the village, they were regaled with a song from the Golden Crested +Wren, who was perched on the branch of an apple tree, and seemed to be +lamenting the rapid approach of winter. + +[Illustration: THE GOLDEN CRESTED WREN.] + +Scarcely had they got into the thick part of the woods, where the +walnuts were abundant, when they found that they were not the only nut +gatherers on the ground. The grey squirrels were on the alert, +scampering about upon the tall trees, where they were quite at +home. Their nests are in hollow trees, high up from the ground, and +here they delight to store up the sweet nuts, and acorns, for their +subsistence. Frank told Fanny some wonderful stories about these +squirrels, which he had heard from Farmer Baldwin: how some thousands +of them once set out in company, on an expedition from New York State, +to Vermont, and swam across the Hudson; and how they were so fatigued +and wet, after crossing the river, that many of those who escaped +drowning, were killed with clubs by the people, on the eastern shore +of the river. + +[Illustration: THE GREY SQUIRREL.] + +Fanny also knew some stories about the grey squirrel, which she had +read in a book, which she got out of the school library--how they +sometimes crossed rivers on chips, and bits of bark, using their large +bushy tails for sails. Frank doubted this; but they both agreed to +believe what is really the fact, that these animals sometimes migrate +from one part of the country to another, in very large numbers. + +[Illustration: THE YELLOW THROAT.] + +When the children had half filled their baskets and bags, they sat +down under the shade of a walnut tree, to eat some dinner, which they +had brought along in one of the baskets. During this frugal repast +they were entertained with the song of a Yellow Throat, one of the +very sweetest of all the wild birds of the forest. He loves the +thickest shades of the wood; and although the children were perfectly +charmed with his music, he was so shy, that they could not get a +single look at him. + +After dinner, the children strolling further into the wood, came +suddenly upon a party of their school fellows, who were in the woods +for a day's sport. They were sitting under a tree, telling stories to +each other. + +[Illustration: THE STORY TELLING PARTY.] + +Frank and Fanny were received by this lively party with loud shouts of +welcome. They sat down and listened to one or two stories after which +Fanny was invited by one of the little girls, to go and see a fine +swing, which the party had put upon one of the trees of the +forest. The two girls enjoyed themselves in swinging here for half an +hour, while Frank remained with the party who were so much engrossed +with the stories as not to miss the two little girls who were enjoying +the swing. + +[Illustration: THE SWING.] + +When Fanny returned from the swinging expedition, the children took +leave of their friends, and returned alone to the business of filling +their bags and baskets with nuts. This they accomplished before +sunset, and joyfully set forward for home. Leaving the skirts of this +forest, they saw a little boy reclining under a tree with a dog by his +side. The boy was leaning his head rather dejectedly on his hand, and +seemed rather tired. On the children inquiring how he came there, he +replied, that he had been spending the whole day with his dog, vainly +endeavoring to catch a woodchuck, which he had seen running into the +woods, in the morning. Frank kindly condoled with him on his +disappointment; but, at the same time, advised him to seek some more +profitable employment in future. + +[Illustration: THE WOODCHUCK HUNTER.] + +After they had left the boy, Frank and Fanny talked together very +sagely on the importance of making a proper use of time, and the folly +of spending it in the hunting of wild animals, like the woodchuck, +which are very hard to catch. + +Just before reaching the village, they met a party of boys playing at +soldiers. They had their drum, and fife, colors, and wooden guns, and +tin swords, and flourished away in all the "pride, pomp, and +circumstance" of military display. + +[Illustration: PLAYING AT SOLDIERS.] + +This sight afforded Frank another theme for remark. His conversations +with Farmer Baldwin had inspired him with disgust for this kind of +amusement. He hated war, and was not pleased with any thing which +reminded him of it. Besides the nonsense of this soldier-playing, he +said there was an objection to it, as inspiring a taste for real +soldier life, and for amusing one's self with gun powder; and he told +Fanny a story of a boy, who, in firing off a little brass cannon, +which split in pieces, received one of the pieces in his neck, which +cut off a large artery, and caused his death in a few minutes. + +[Illustration: DANGEROUS SPORT.] + +Before Frank had finished his comments on this sad affair, they +reached home; and so ended the nutting expedition, which, Frank +thought, was not quite so profitable as helping Farmer Baldwin to +gather his apples. + +[Illustration] + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +MARY DAY. + + +Mary Day's father was rich. He lived in an elegant house, kept a +carriage and fine horses, and Mary had beautiful dresses, and a great +variety of play-things. + +Now I suppose you think that all these things made Mary very happy. +But it was not so. Mary was a discontented little girl. She was never +satisfied with any thing that she had, but was always wishing for +something new. Even the flock of beautiful tame rabbits, which her +father had given, afforded her but little pleasure, because she was of +a discontented disposition. + +[Illustration: MARY DAY'S RABBITS.] + +Now, it so happened, that Mary had been with Fanny several times to +the little 'chick-a-dee's' grave, and she told her mother, that she +wished she had a bird's grave of her own, like Fanny Lee's. Her mother +told her that Fanny would much rather have a live bird, like Mary's +Canary. But Mary persisted in saying, that a bird's grave was a great +deal nicer than a bird, which had to be waited on so much as her +Canary did, although it was Mary's mother who took care of her linnet. + +[Illustration: MARY DAY'S CANARY.] + +But Mary's love was soon put to the test, for her Canary sickened and +died; and then she found that she missed its cheerful chirrup, and the +little spot where it was buried, was no source of pleasure to her, for +it but served to remind her of her foolish wish. + +It was about this time that their minister, Mr. Herbert, returned from +a visit to New York, and he brought with him, for Fanny Lee, a +beautiful bird, called a linnet. + +Mr. Herbert had heard her when she spoke aloud in church, and said, +"poor, dear, little birdie;" and he had inquired of Miss Norton about +her, and she had told him what a good little girl she was, and how +much the death of the bird had grieved her. + +[Illustration: FANNY'S LINNET.] + +He carried the bird in a cage to Fanny, and she was so delighted, she +could scarcely speak. + +Mr. Herbert told her, that she need not fear that the bird would be +unhappy, for it had been born in a cage, and had never been accustomed +to any other kind of life. Then he told her where to put the seed, and +the water, and the sugar, and how to clean the cage; and Fanny +listened attentively, and thanked him so earnestly, while her dark, +blue eyes sparkled with delight, that Mr. Herbert felt more than +repaid for the trouble he had taken in getting the bird. + +The next morning Mary Day stopped, in her way to school. When she saw +the cage hanging amid the vines, and heard the clear, sweet notes of +the linnet, her heart was stirred with envy. She was a very selfish +little girl, or it would have pleased her to see Fanny so happy with +her bird; but she looked very cross and sour, as she said, + +"So you have got a bird, just because mine is dead." + +"Oh, no," answered Fanny, "I never thought of having a bird; but dear, +good Mr. Herbert, brought it to me yesterday. I am so sorry that +yours is dead." + +"You needn't be sorry for me," said the petulant Mary, "I've got +plenty of things that you haven't got, and I'd be ashamed to wear such +mean clothes as you do." + +Poor Fanny looked down at her clean calico dress, and she saw that it +was faded and patched. A bright rose color flitted over her cheeks, +and when she looked up, tears stood in her eyes. Mary did not say any +more; but she watched Fanny all the forenoon, and saw that she had +made her feel very unhappy. When they went out to play, she went up to +Fanny, and said, + +"I will give you one of my fine dresses for your little linnet, and +then you needn't wear that old patched calico any more." + +"No, no," answered Fanny, "I would not sell my bird for all the +dresses in the world." + +This made the selfish, naughty Mary more angry than ever; and she went +around whispering to all the girls to look at the patches in Fanny +Lee's dress. Some of them laughed with Mary, and poor Fanny felt very +much hurt and grieved. + +After school, that noon, Frank found her crying alone in her room, and +for the first time in her life, she refused to tell him what was the +matter. + +In the afternoon, after school was out, Fanny did not stay, as she +sometimes did, to play on the green with the children; but she took +her book, and turned down into the meadow path alone. Frank felt very +sad when he saw that his sister avoided him; but he followed her into +the woods, and found her sitting in her favorite spot. + +It was autumn, and the weather was cooler. Fanny had spread her shawl +down upon a log, and she was now sitting upon it, with her open book +in her lap; but her eyes were bent upon the ground, thoughtfully. A +merry little wren was flitting around and above her, but her cheerful +notes were now unheeded. + +[Illustration: THE WREN.] + +Frank sat down beside her, and putting one arm about her neck, he +clasped her hand tenderly. Resting his head upon his other hand, he +looked into her face, and said, + +[Illustration: FRANK CONSOLING FANNY.] + +"Why won't my dear sister tell me what has made her feel so badly." +She did not want to converse, but when Frank told her that he should +be very unhappy if he did not know the cause, she told him all about +it. Frank felt very sorry for his sister, and at first bad feelings +rose in his heart; but he had learned how to conquer them; so he +talked to her, and told her how much happier they were than Mary Day, +and how disagreeable she made herself, with her selfishness and her +vanity; and then he told her that he had read in a book somewhere, +that it was better to live in a mud hovel, with a kind heart, and a +cheerful temper like hers, than to live in a palace without it. + +When they went home, Fanny was as happy as ever again, for she found +that her heart was very much lightened by sharing her troubles with +her brother. + +The next day when they went to school, Mary Day was not there, and +during the forenoon, Miss Norton received a note from Mary's mother, +saying, that she had been thrown from a carriage, and one of her limbs +broken. Fanny felt so sorry for her, that she forgot all the unkind +things which she had said the day before, and as soon as school was +out, she hurried home, and taking down her cage, she started for +Mr. Herbert's, without saying any thing to her grand-parents, or to +Frank. She was almost breathless when she reached the parsonage. +Mr. Herbert was gathering some grapes in the garden, and as soon +as Fanny saw him, she said, + +"Please, Mr. Herbert, let me give my linnet to Mary Day, her Canary is +dead, and she has broken her leg, and she wants this very badly, and I +can spare it, for I can go in the woods and hear the birds sing, while +poor Mary has to lie in bed, and if I should get very home sick often, +dear Linny, I can go and listen at her windows, and hear him sing." + +Little Fanny chatted so fast, that Mr. Herbert could not help +smiling, although he was very sorry to hear of poor Mary's +misfortune. He told her that she might give it to Mary to keep while +she was sick, if she thought it would cheer her any; but he said, that +he should wish Fanny to have it again, after Mary should recover; for +he felt more confidence in her, that she would take good care of the +little bird. Then he put his hat on, and went to Mr. Day's house, and +told them how she had wished to give the bird to Mary, but that he had +only consented to her lending it. They all thought that she was a very +good girl; and Mary told Fanny that she might take home any of her +play things. But Fanny did not wish for them, and Mary thought it +very strange that she should be willing to give her the bird, when she +was so fond of it. It was great company to Mary, during her +confinement to the house, and when she was able to go to school again, +the bird was returned to Fanny willingly, for Mary had learned to love +her very much, and she often felt sorry that she should ever have hurt +the feelings of so good a girl. + +Mr. Herbert always spoke of Frank and Fanny with a great deal of love, +for he thought them the most affectionate and dutiful children that he +had ever known. + +He foretold that they would become useful and respectable when they +should grow up; and in this respect he was perfectly right. Frank owns +a very large farm, purchased with the wages of his own industry; and +Fanny is the happy, busy, and industrious little wife of worthy Farmer +Baldwin's only son. + +Good children are always beloved, for they make every one happy around +them, and they are happy themselves. + +I hope those who read this little tale, will try to be kind and +forgiving, like Frank and Fanny Lee. A kind, friendly disposition, and +a willingness to forgive rather than resent injuries, is one which +cannot fail to make us happy and beloved by our friends in this world; +and without it we can not be happy in the world which is to come. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration: FRANK and FANNY.] + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Frank and Fanny, by Mrs. Clara Moreton + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FRANK AND FANNY *** + +***** This file should be named 15977.txt or 15977.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/9/7/15977/ + +Produced by Internet Archive Children's Library; University +of Florida, PM Children's Library, Laura Wisewell and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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