Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1886-05-08
The Christening.

ho. won't forgive our parsan-not down TO
my dytn' day,
Hsd orter waited ninnit; that's what II
alters say,
But to chrfsten my boy, my baby, with snch
an urfu2 name-
Why where's the use o. talkin'a tell you he
was to blame.
Yon ESQ ithappened in this way: There was
father an Uncle ST
An mother, an each one wantin' a finger in
the pie
Each with name for baby, as eff hadn't no
voice,
But the more they talked an argied, the more
i stuck to my choice
'Sernanthy"-this was father-"youd best
take pattern by mother,
For she named thirteen children r113nt any
such fuss or bother,
AS soon as she diskiveyed that family names
was too few,
Why, she just fell back on the Bible, as rer-
feSSerS air bound TO do.
Se1nanthy"-this was Reuben-"moyt any
one else could see
'nit BEN as I'm his father, he orter be
named for me
ou say my names old-fashioned; well, Pm
old-feshioned too,
1et tV'arn't so long ago. nuther, that both of
us suited you"
Then there was Uncle Silas: "Semanthy, I
tell ye what
Just name him silas. III give him that
hundred acre lot
a1 make out tho deed to-morrer-an' then
when I've gone to my rest,
Ihereu be a triiie o. money to '.elp him
feather his nest
'S1t the worst of all was mother She says.
so meek an mild:
I'd love to call him lothian, after nv oldest
child;
lie died on his second birthday The others
are grown-up men,
But lothian is still my baby, he has never
grown since then
Ills hair was soft an curlin', ewes blue ms blue
could be,
An this boy of yours, Semanthy, Jest brings
him back to me"
Well, it warn't no easy matter TO keep or
sayin, No,
An disapp'mtin' every one Poor Rube he
fretted So
When told him the name I'd chosen, that he
fairly made me cry.
For I'd planned to name the darling Angus
tus Perciva1 Guy.
Ahl that was name worth hearin SO 'risto
cratic an grand!
He might a held up his head then with the
proudeSt in the land
but noto- Well 'tisn't no wonder, when
look at that blessed coild
sAn' think Of the name he's come to, that
can't be reconciled
aAt last coaxed up Reuben an a Sabbath
mornin' came
When took my boy to meetin to git hi.
Christian name.
Jest as proud as a peacock l. stood awaitin
there;
couldn't hardly listen to the readin' nor the
prayer,
For of half dozen babies mine was the finest
Of all;
An they had sech common names, too But
pride must have fall
"What will We call him3" says Parson Brown
bendin' his head to hear
Then handed n bit of paper up, with the
names writ full an clear
But Uncle 81, stead of passin it, Jest reads il
over slow,
With sech wondrin, puzzled face, as eff he
didn't know
The child was beginnin' to fdget, an Rube
was gittin red
So kinder scowlcd at Uncle ST, and then
shook my head
'The namef says Parson Brown agin; I'm
feared haven't caught it"
"Jee-hoShdphat'' says Uncle ST, out loud
before he thought it.
The parson-he's near sighted-he couldn't
understand
Though pinted to the paper in Uucle Silas
hand.
But that word did the business; an before !
gotmy breath
That boy was named JEHosHAPHAT l felt a
most like death.
I couldn't keep from cryin as l hurried down
the aisle,
An fairly hated Widow Green when SEE
her kinder smile.
I've never, nerer called him by that name
an never will,
An can't forgive old Parson Brown, though
bear him no ill-will
e T. Corbett, Harper's
A PARLOR ROMANCE.