The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-03-24
The Christening

No won't forgive our parson-uot down TO
He'd orter waited minnit; that's what IN
But to christen my boy, my baby, with such
an orful name
Why, where's the use o taking tell YOU he
was 70 blame.
You see Il happened in this way: There was
father an Uncle ST
An mother. an each one wantin' finger in
the-pie-
Each with name for baby, as eff / hadn't no
voice.
But the more they talked an argied. the more
Fstuck TO my choice
'-semanthy"-this was father-.syou'd best
take pattern by mother.
For she named thirteen children 'thout any
such fuss or bother
AS soon as she diskivered that family names
too few.
Why. she jest fell back on the Bible as per-
fessers air bound to do"
.-Semanthy" was Reuben" most any
one else cauid see
That, bein' as I'm his father, he'd orter be
named for me-
You say my names old-fashioned; well, I'm
old-fashioned too.
Yet 'twarn't so long ago, uuther that both of
Then there was Uncle Sias; "Semanthy,
tell We what
jest name him Silas. I'll give him that hun
I'll make out the deed to-morrer-an' then
when I've gone to my rest.
There'i be a uifie @ money to help him
feather his nest
But the worst of all was mother. She says. so
meek an mild;
.'I'd love to call him lothian, after my oldest
child:
He died on his second birthday The others
grown-up men.
But lothian Is stiH my bhby: he has never
grown since then
His hair so soft an curlin', eyes blue as
blue could b..
An this bos of yours, Semanthy, Jest brings
him back 90 me-
Well, Il warn't no easy matter to keep on say
in No.
An disappintin' every one. Poor Rnbe 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 Augustus
Percival Guy.
All. that was a name worth hearin', so 'risto-
He might n held up his head then with the
proudest in the land
But now Well, 'tisnt no wonder, when !
look at that blessed child
An think of the name he's come to- that
can't be recOncied-
At last I coaxed up Reuben. an Sabbath
When l took my boy to meetin' TO get his
Christian name.
lest as proud as a peacock I stood a-waiun'
] couldn't hardly listen to the readin' nor the
prayer.
For of half dozen babies mine was the finest
An they had sech common names. too. But
pride must have a fail.
''Nhat will ye call him. SAYS Parson Brown,
bendin his head to hear.
Then / handed hit Gf paper up, with the
names writ fun an clear.
But Uncle 81, stead of passin' ii, jest reads IL
over slow,
With seeh q wondrin', puzzled face, as eff he
didn't know.
The child was begtnuin' to fidget. an Rube
Eittin red,
So kinder scowled at Uncle 81, and then I
shook my head.
THE nameF' says Parson Brown agin; I'm
'feard haven't caught it,
'Jee-hoshaphati" says Uncle ST. out loud, be-
fore he thought it,
The parson-he's near-sighted-he couldn't
understand,
Though pinted to the paper in Unole silas'
hand.
But that word did the business; an before /
got my breath
That boy was n1med Jehoshaphat. l felt
Almost like death.
couldn't keep from cryin' as / hurried down
the aisle,
An fairly hated widder Green when 1 see
her kinder smile.
I've never, never called him by that name, an
never will.
An can't forgive old Parson Brown, though
bear him no ill-will.
f. Z. COTbctr, in Editors Drawer. Harper's
Magazine for February