The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-12-09


"Fitz, you have not asked me how he
is he said
"He?-whom?" 1 inquired, rather
mystitied.
Your little godson."
80, of course; how stupid l am! l
beg your pardon, my dear fellow; how
is he? All right, l hope?" ('If the
fond parent had only heard my fervent
prayers for his heir few hours ago.! |
thought to myself, feeling, for the first
time in my life, bit of hypocrite.)
"He is wonderful big infant, they
tell me,'' said the atfectionate parent,
with an air of pride, and some assump-
ton of indifference.
- Is hep" [ asked, with what hoped
was tone expressive of interest.
Tom was 50 gOod-natured that he had
already forgiven me my want of thought.
When is il to be, Tom?" asked,
presently.
e; What?" he asked.
The christening, of course said /.
Wednesday," he answered; land
we have decided to leave the selection OF
his name to you"
My dear fellow, that is too much
esponsibility; if | gave the boy name
he disliked, like Christopher, or Tobias,
or Alonzo, or Simon, he would never
forgive me when he grew up, and would
hate me to the day of his death. "
"What nonsense you talk, Fitz! You
can talk it over with May, and come to
some arrangement"
Gone question:" said I, abruptly,
stopping in our walk toward the brough-
am that was to carry us to Tom com
Portable home; ''shall have to hold him
at the font?"
"Yes-that is, no; upon my life can't
say. Why"
because have never held one before,
and am sure | should let it fall. | have
never seen one-having no married rel
atives or friends except in q bus or in
a perambulator in the streets; and | am
rather afraid of them. am, upon my
life. | think they are all bad-tempered
and bad hammered, and have a co umon
habit of working themselves into fright
full passions about nothing in particular,
just to plague people and make them
uncomfortable.
For answer my fat friend shook his
fat sides with laughter, and, when he
could speak, said:
- You talk like bachelor, Fitz"
"You forget have not had twelve
months experience of matrimony."
said, hitting him home.
He only laughed all the more at this.
My reply seemed to please his fancy.
1T would be the best thing in life for
you if you had; it would make you a
happy man." he said, when he recovered
himself Take my word for it, you
don't know what comfort is till you re
married.
Pm not very miserable in my present
state of blessed bachelorhood, and in no
hurry to make change" said 1.
Then you are wrong, my boy. Do
you know why sent for you?" he said,
looking at me suddenly, and, as | thought
afterward, speculatively.
TO stand godfather TO your son, of
course
That is one reason; but l have an
other. May and [ have laid plot.
I'm afraid l. m spelling sport by telling
you, but I'm hanged if | can hold my
tongue"
ii am the victim, of your plot, 1 sup
poseP inquired, mildly.
you are, my boy. We want to make
you as happy as ourselves by marrying
you to one of the brightest and best of
girls. She is just the one to make you
as happy as you could desire"
Upon my life, you are awfully good,
both of you; but have no inclination to
join the list of martyrs mean toto
enter into the holy bonds of matrimony"
1--WE will say no more about her until
you see her"
when will that be?" / asked, feeling
rather curious to see the woman who my
friends had decided was to make me a
happy man.
"On Wednesday morning; she is to be
one of the godmothers
There was much ado about that christ
ening. The cake was of gigantic size,
as if ordered with merciful considera-
ton for the healthy appetites of the sis
tiers, cousins and aunts of Tom Phelan
and his wife. The previous night din.
ner was given to celebrate the event
more htly. | was dressed early, and
went down into the drawing room,
where Tom was talking to Mrs MacFum,
q little woman with twinkle in her
eyes and a Juvenile cap on her head.
who prided herself on being connected
with the family of the family of the
great MacFums, to whom Brian Boru
himself was but an upstart, and the lords
of Kildare and Leinster but "mush-
rooms, me dear, if it comes to that" as
she used to say, with a sense of prize,
expressed by Il sudden backward Jerk of
her head, that made the lace of her cap
f1utter arily and the roses tremble from
eXaltation, in more senses than one, on
their wire stems. When my host had
introduced me. and she had nodded her
juvenile cap in recognition of my best
bow, she went on with the narrative of
what her dear friend Lady Aria Inc had
said to her when she was last in London,
which Tom had interrupted for the pur-
pose OF introducing me.
saw that he was impatient to get
away, but there was no use in his striy-
ing TO stir from Mrs. MtcFum lust then,
who started with a fresh anecdote of
what Tom Moore had told her he had
said TO LAZY Blessington, when he sang:
"Believe me if all;' and so was left to
make my acquaintance with the guests
already arrived, all of whom were
II runUp Ia mo