CHARLES' JOURNEY TO FRANCE

CHARLES' JOURNEY TO FRANCE, 9

THE BALL PLAYERS, 32

THE LITTLE BOY WHO WAS A COWARD, 39

MY MOTHER, 44

STORIES OF DOGS, 49

A NAUGHTY BOY, 59

THE SILLY LAMB, 63

LUCY AND HER LAMB, 71




STORY OF A JOURNEY TO FRANCE.


Well, Charles, we will take a journey. We will go to France. We will
see some of the world besides home.

Bring your hat. Good-bye, Papa. Farewell, Billy, and Harry, and every
body. We are going a great way off. And we shall go down the lane, and
through the church-yard and by the corner-house, and over the stile,
till we have got quite into the fields. How pretty the fields will
look! for it will be summer days again before we go. And there will be
yellow flowers, and white flowers, and grass, and trees, and hedges;
and the grasshoppers, will chirp, chirp, under our feet. Do not try to
catch them; it will only hinder us, and we have a great way to go.

Pray what are those pretty creatures that look so meek and
good-natured, and have soft thick white wool upon their backs, like a
greatcoat, and make a noise like the little baby when it cries? Those
are sheep and lambs. And what are those creatures with horns, that
are bigger than the sheep? Some of them are black, and some red: they
make a loud noise, but they do not look as if they would hurt any
body. Those are cows that give milk. Stroke them. Poor cows! stand
still and look back. Now we cannot see papa's house at all; and we can
see only the top of the church steeple. Let us go a little farther.
Now look back. Now we cannot see the church at all. Farewell! We are

going a great way. Shall we ever come back again? Yes, we shall come
back again; but we must go on now. Come, make haste.

What is that tall thing that has four great arms which move very fast?
I believe, if I was near it, they would strike me down. It is a
wind-mill. Those arms are the sails. The wind turns them round. And
what is a wind-mill for? It is to grind corn. You could have no bread
if the corn were not ground. Well, but here is a river; how shall we
do to get over it? Why, do you not see how those ducks do? they swim
over. But I cannot swim. Then you must learn to swim, I believe: it is
too wide to jump over. O, here is a Bridge! Somebody has made a
bridge for us quite over the river. That somebody was very good, for I
do not know what we should have done without it; and he was very clever
too. I wonder how he made it. I am sure I could not make such a bridge.

[Illustration: Well, but here is a river.--_Page 12._]

Well, we must go on, on, on; and we shall see more rivers, and more
fields, and towns bigger than our town a great deal--large towns, and
fine churches, streets, and people--more than there is at the fair.
And we shall have a great many high hills to climb. I believe I must
get somebody to carry the little boy up those high hills. And
sometimes we shall go through dusty sandy roads; and sometimes through
green lanes, where we shall hear the birds sing.

[Illustration]

Sometimes we shall go over wide commons, where we shall see no trees,
nor any house; and large heaths, where there is hardly any
grass--only some purple flowers, and a few black nosed little sheep.
Ha! did you see that pretty brown creature that ran across the path?
Here is another; and look! there is another; there are a great many.
They are rabbits. They live here, and make themselves houses in the
ground. This is a rabbit-warren.

Now we are come amongst a great many trees--more trees than there are
in the orchard by a great many, and taller trees. There is oak, and
ash, and elm. This is a wood. What great boughs the trees have! like
thick arms. The sun cannot shine amongst the trees, they are so
thick. Look, there is a squirrel! Jumping from one tree to another. He
is very nimble. What a pretty tail he has!

Well; when we have gone on a great many days, through a great many
fields and towns, we shall come to a great deep water, bigger a great
many times than the river, for you can see over the river, you
know--you can see fields on the other side; but this is so large, and
so wide, you can see nothing but water, water, as far as ever you can
carry your eyes. And it is not smooth, like the river; it is all
rough, like the great pot in the kitchen when it is boiling; and it is
so deep, it would drown you, if you were as tall as two church
steeples.