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+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43692 ***
+
+Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this
+      file which includes the original lovely illustrations.
+      See 43692-h.htm or 43692-h.zip:
+      (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43692/43692-h/43692-h.htm)
+      or
+      (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43692/43692-h.zip)
+
+
+      Images of the original pages are available through
+      Internet Archive/American Libraries. See
+      http://archive.org/details/edwardbuttoneyeh00austiala
+
+
+
+
+
+Little Mother Stories.
+
+EDWARD BUTTONEYE AND HIS ADVENTURES
+
+Pictured by
+
+HILDA AUSTIN
+
+Written by
+
+CYRIL F. AUSTIN.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Ernest Nister London   No. 1874   E. P. Dutton & Co. New York
+
+
+
+
+EDWARD BUTTONEYE AND HIS ADVENTURES.
+
+
+_TO_
+_A. B._
+
+
+    And, though he never could explain,
+      I don't mind telling you
+    That in that box he had been lain
+    By those who made him, limb and brain,
+      And stitched his eyes on, too.
+    It's odd, you'll think, they joined his toes
+    And gave him such a head and nose.
+
+    But there on the broad countryside
+      Was he, a homeless lad.
+    Another might have sat and cried,
+    But Edward, no. "Whate'er betide,
+      If work is to be had,
+    I'll take," thought he, "what Fortune brings
+    And live in hopes of better things."
+
+    A farmhouse stood not far away,
+      So first there Edward tried,
+    And was engaged to herd by day
+    And night the farmer's sheep, which stray,
+      Whene'er they can, and hide.
+    And so a paper Edward bought
+    And sat and watched and read and thought.
+
+    He read through each advertisement
+      To see if he could find
+    A place he thought would suit his bent,
+    In which he could be quite content
+      And cultivate his mind.
+    --He read so hard and thought so deep
+    He quite forgot about the sheep.
+
+    But when at last he looked around,
+      His flock could not be seen.
+    He shouted, called, and searched the ground,
+    The sheep were nowhere to be found
+      (They knew that he was green);
+    And when in fear he ventured back,
+    I scarce need say he got the sack.
+
+    He went away with many sighs
+      And sight a little dim,
+    But suddenly, to his surprise,
+    A woolly head with shining eyes
+      Peered through the hedge at him.
+    "If you will let me come with you,"
+    It said, "I always will be true."
+
+    Our Edward with delight agreed;
+      "It looks," he thought, "quite tame;
+    A counsellor and friend I need,
+    Besides, it may serve as a steed."
+      And so he asked its name.
+    "I'm Horace, so they all allege,"
+    It said, and scrambled through the hedge.
+
+    So side by side, o'er hill and dale,
+      The gallant heroes strode,
+    And Horace frisked his stumpy tail
+    And joked with every frog and snail
+      And chaffed each slug and toad.
+    But silent Edward longed for fame
+    And by great deeds to make a name.
+
+    He also wished he had a hat
+      --The day was very warm--
+    But soon he ceased to think of that,
+    For lo! beside the road there sat
+      Two maids of sweetest charm.
+    'Twas saucy Sue and modest Moll,
+    Who sported a red parasol.
+
+    Then Edward's heart beat high with pride,
+      He drew himself erect
+    And said to Horace, "Quick, now! stride
+    As if you wore Newfoundland hide
+      And follow with respect."
+    But, 'spite of all their dashing air,
+    The maids preserved their glassy stare.
+
+    A flush o'erspread poor Edward's cheek,
+      He walked on very fast,
+    And Horace followed, very meek.
+    But all at once they heard a shriek
+      From the fair dames they'd passed:
+    --Enraged to see their sunshade red,
+    A wild bull charged with lowered head.
+
+    "Ah, here's my chance," brave Edward cried,
+      And, counting not the cost,
+    He rushed back to the maidens' side;
+    To stop the bull he vainly tried
+      And was most painfully tossed.
+    "Alas!" he thought, "no luck to-day;
+    --But _they_, at least, have got away."
+
+    Sad Horace hastened to the spot
+      And rendered him first aid,
+    Then set off at his quickest trot
+    For help. Poor Edward groaned a lot:
+      "Why was I ever made?"
+    --I'm not surprised he had the hump,
+    He came down such an awful bump.
+
+    And as he sat, there passed him by
+      Two visions of delight;
+    Each viewed with fond, maternal eye
+    And hugged--it made poor Edward sigh--
+      A golliwoggy fright.
+    He tried to cry to them out loud,
+    But nothing came--he felt too proud.
+
+    They walked straight past and soon were gone,
+      Poor Edward could have cried.
+    He knew that he belonged to one,
+    That he would one day be her son,
+      But he was dumb from pride.
+    He felt that of the two he'd choose
+    The one with soft red hair and shoes.
+
+    But Horace soon returned and said
+      He nowhere help could find;
+    So Edward mounted him instead
+    And held on by his charger's head.
+      (Now wasn't Horace kind?)
+    They travelled thus o'er hill and plain
+    Till Edward was quite well again.
+
+    To get a place where he could thrive
+      Our Edward found was hard,
+    But soon he was engaged to drive
+    A railway train, and did contrive
+      That Horace should be guard.
+    One day he saw what made him quail
+    --A sleepy tortoise on the rail!
+
+    He found he hadn't time to stop,
+      Though manfully he tried,
+    So biff! and crash! and up and flop!
+    They went. The tortoise did not hop
+      But went on, sleepy-eyed.
+    Poor Edward knew what was in store,
+    --Of course he got the sack once more.
+
+    The next employment Edward found
+      Was towing someone's barge.
+    Their cargo weighed full many a pound,
+    And as beside the stream they wound
+      Their burden felt so large
+    That Horace, every hour or so,
+    Said, "Are you sure coal doesn't grow?"
+
+    But onward still brave Edward strode
+      And onward trudged his steed;
+    Though leaden grew their lumpy load
+    No signs of giving in they showed
+      Till, all at once, a reed
+    Upset the barge, the cargo sank
+    And left them workless on the bank.
+
+    Soon after that they came across
+      Some races in full swing.
+    Said Edward, "Horses cannot toss
+    And you can serve me as a hoss,
+      --'Twill be the very thing."
+    So Horace summoned all his strength
+    And came in first by half a length.
+
+    But Horace felt so very done
+      And very short of breath
+    (You see, he was not built to run
+    So fast), he gasped that even one
+      More race would be his death.
+    So Edward mournfully supposed
+    A jockey's life to him was closed.
+
+    To give good Horace perfect rest
+      They lay awhile at ease.
+    They found a hammock suited best,
+    Exchanging quip and merry jest
+      With frogs and bumble-bees,
+    And Edward helped stray leaves and twigs
+    Along the stream with gentle digs.
+
+    When Horace was quite well again
+      They set out on their way.
+    One day they heard a distant strain
+    And, tramping o'er the dusty plain
+      With music loud and gay,
+    A brawny-chested regiment
+    Marched past, on death or glory bent.
+
+    The sight so fired brave Edward's soul,
+      He set off in the rear.
+    Said he, "The cavalry's our goal,
+    --A charger is your proper rôle;"
+      But Horace shook with fear.
+    "If we," he thought, "the foe should seek,
+    I shall be mutton in a week!"
+
+    But when they reached the barrack-yard
+      And wanted to enlist,
+    The sergeant called out to the guard
+    Their measurements, punched Edward hard
+      And gave his neck a twist.
+    "You've got no chest at all," said he.
+    "No good!" thought Edward tearfully.
+
+    "It's not my fault I've got no chest,
+      They should have made it broad,"
+    He grumbled; but with noble zest
+    He searched the country east and west
+      To find some noble lord
+    Who might excuse his tender age
+    And take him on to be his page.
+
+    And when at last he did succeed,
+      While Horace stayed indoors,
+    He took two poodles on a lead
+    Out walking every day. Their breed
+      Was such that on all fours
+    They utterly disdained to go,
+    Like Lion, Unicorn and Co.
+
+    They led poor Edward such a dance,
+      He scarce could hold them in;
+    They tugged as if their only chance
+    In life was to get home to France
+      And join their kith and kin.
+    At last they got away by force,
+    And Edward got the sack--of course.
+
+    He wandered on with Horace till
+      They reached a sheltered spot,
+    And watched with quite an envious thrill
+    Two boys who handled with great skill
+      A trim, fast-sailing yacht.
+    "O for an opportunity,"
+    Sighed Edward, "to put out to sea!"
+
+    The chance they wanted soon occurred
+      --The boys went in to tea.
+    By thoughts of danger undeterred
+    They boarded, tacked and, in a word,
+      Were happy as could be.
+    They did not see the rising cloud
+    That threatened every spar and shroud.
+
+    With all their sails set to the breeze,
+      They were quite unprepared
+    To meet the squall. Great tow'ring seas
+    Tossed them about like shipwrecked peas;
+      They would most ill have fared
+    Had not a tortoise saved the twain
+    --He who derailed the railway train.
+
+    He took them on his brawny back
+      And swam with them ashore.
+    "This slight return I owe for lack
+    Of thought," said he, "when o'er the track
+      I crawled;--I'd do much more,
+    But this, at least, will prove to you
+    How much that sad event I rue."
+
+    They thanked him for his kindly deed
+      And then resumed their march,
+    But when the time was come to feed
+    They found they'd nought to meet the need
+      Except a piece of starch.
+    Said Edward, "This will never do;
+    Your wool, old chap, would be like glue."
+
+    They had no work, they had no food,
+      But hungrier they grew.
+    At last said Horace, "What's the good
+    Of starving slowly? In the wood
+      There's game enough for two.
+    I feel quite faint, so get a gun
+    And see what you can shoot, my son."
+
+    This was for Edward the last straw,
+      And so he took a gun;
+    For Horace he would brave the law,
+    Whate'er betide. So when he saw
+      A hare start up and run,
+    He took fair aim with steady wrist
+    And fired--but luckily he missed.
+
+    A policeman heard the loud report
+      And hurried to the scene.
+    He hailed the poachers off to court,
+    And there their shrift was very short
+      --The judge's wit was keen:
+    He sentenced them to prison-shop
+    And hoped that long in there they'd stop.
+
+    Now prison-shop, of course, is where
+      All dolls, when made, must go
+    Until some maiden, kind and fair,
+    Buys them and saves them from despair.
+      And this is why, you know,
+    They have such eager, anxious eyes,
+    As each to catch your notice tries.
+
+    So Edward was marched off to jail
+      And guarded night and day
+    Amid a throng of beauties frail,
+    While Horace, looking somewhat pale,
+      Scanned all who passed that way,
+    For both of them hoped she would see
+    And rescue them from misery.
+
+    At last there came a day of joy,
+      She stopped before the shop,
+    And with her was a handsome boy;
+    They viewed with interest each toy
+      From yacht to humming-top.
+    (They were, I may remark off-hand,
+    Penelope and Hildebrand.)
+
+    Cold beads of perspiration stood
+      On Edward's frantic brow;
+    He feared lest his own mother should
+    Not notice him (as if she could
+      Have missed her own son, now!).
+    But, scarcely glancing at the rest,
+    Pen saw at once he was the best.
+
+    "O what a pleasant person, look!"
+      She cried to Hildebrand,
+    "I must have him by hook or crook!"
+    --In point of fact 'twas by a hook
+      Held in the shopman's hand,
+    Which hoisted Edward by the seat,
+    A part adapted for the feat.
+
+    Now Pen had put her pennies by
+      To save poor dolls from fate
+    By buying them, and you should try
+    To do the same. The Buttoneye
+      Was marked, "Price two and eight."
+    'Twas dear, but Pen was quite content
+    To think her savings so well spent.
+
+    The ransom very soon was paid
+      And Edward, once more free,
+    Borne off in triumph. Though arrayed
+    In shabby coat and trousers frayed
+      And baggy at the knee,
+    He was more precious to Pen's heart
+    Than if they'd been quite new and smart.
+
+    And faithful Horace, too, was bought
+      --Pen saw by Edward's eye
+    No freedom for himself he sought
+    If his pet lamb's fate should be fraught
+      With doubt--he'd rather die.
+    But Horace had to run like mad,
+    So fast a pace his mistress had.
+
+    "I'd go through twice as much for this,"
+      Thought Edward with a sigh
+    As he received his hundredth kiss,
+    And Horace, wrapped in wool and bliss,
+      Just winked the other eye.
+    And how they relished, to be sure,
+    The other dolls' discomfiture!
+
+    "I know the hard times you've been through,"
+      Said Pen, and kissed them both,
+    "But nothing now need worry you
+    For here your life begins anew--"
+      ("Hurray!" fat Horace quoth),
+    "--And when we seek the country air
+    I'm sure we'll find adventures there."
+
+    And Pen proved quite a prophetess
+      For, shortly after that,
+    They met a lovely--well, what?--guess!
+    What dream of perfect loveliness
+      D'you think I'm hinting at?
+    Well, if your Dad is pleased with you,
+    Perhaps he'll buy you that book[A] too.
+
+[A] The Little Blue Rabbit.
+
+Printed in Bavaria
+
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+  THE LITTLE MOTHER STORIES.
+
+  Uniform in price and similar in style:
+
+   1. Baby Finger Play.
+
+   2. The Three Baby Bears.
+
+   3. The Stories the Baby Bears Told.
+
+   4. The Baby Bears' Picnic.
+
+   5. The Little Toy Bearkins.
+
+   6. Toy Bearkins' Christmas Tree.
+
+   7. Little Blue Rabbit and his Adventures.
+
+   8. Edward Buttoneye and his Adventures.
+
+   9. Little Redskins.
+
+  10. The Animals' Trip to Sea.
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43692 ***