The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1891-10-08
BABY" -"

Psyche and Pat, | wouldn't have
minded. | always loved boys from
the time | was tied into my first pima
fore till the day married Rex Thayer.
Then, of course, when Rex declared he
wouldn't have it-that he wanted to
be the composite whole of masculine
existence for me-I devoted myself to
his way of thinking. That is. till
Reggy came.
did love Reggy. And Rex said !
might-that it was really only natural;
but that, if | W0u'd name him Regi-
nald, l must ut any rate find another
diminutivc than Rex for him. He, my
welded lord. would not consent to
lose an iota of his identity with me,
even if it were his own son who was
the brigand.
But settled it beautifully, as you
see. If | adored Reggy. l worshipped
Rex; and so everything was obliged to
90 smoothly.
1t was when my next baby came in-
to the household that felt sorry had
obeyed Rex so Loyalty. and ceased TO
have that ardent affection for bows
which was so prominent a character
istic of my earlier years. felt dis
tinct thrill of disappointment when
they told me that Mis mite was n boy,
and was amazed to find how COM
pletely Il love for femininity had taken
possession of my heart.
But | named him Cyrus, for my
father. and called him Psyche-in a
spirit OF revenge.
Aud then Pat came! Rex wiped
away my tears. and said it sUdS a
shame; but what sturdy little rascal
he was. TO be sure. and what n very
beautiful pink his toes were-had l
noticed? Aud we would name him
Patrick for Uncle Pat, and l should
call him Patricia and do him up in
blue ribbons-indeed | should!
Aud | thought if Rex could bear it
why | could, too. So | rallied 10 the
situation.
We had n happy little home-just q
bit of house in the midst of Il big
patch of garden. where honeysuckles
climbed mp the lattices. and tulips
bloomed all the way from the gate to
the door when the spring came.
Rex was lawyer with fair amount
of income, and my happiness was to
make the incest of homes possible on
the generous household allowance he
set aside each month for me. so life
was sunny, and we were two happy
people. proud of our three robust boys:
aud we had quite forgotten our sorrow
that Psyche and Patricia were not
more appropriate names Cor the dear
little lads. when IN incident occurred.
The incident" was-Baby.
had somehow always thought of
Baby as Il girl! 1t hadn't entered my
mind at all about any other possibility.
Aud with all my experience, too! l
don't wonder you think | was stupid.
But | crocheted her" dilninutive
sncques in palest of blues. aud 'her"
crib blanket blue with daisies starred
over it. In short. the daintiest of
azure appointments awaited "her"
coming.
Reggy was ii then. and went daily
to the Boston Latin School. and Psyche
was Il and Pat over seven; so. you
see. my sorrow at having to array
them in bovish attire aud my ponder
ous sighs us one by one they had
stepped into knickerbockers were not
too vivid in my memory. But it all
came back 10 me-every pang-when
became acquainted with Baby
Rex l asked eagerly. lis she
pretty ?'
1t was the only time l ever knew
him TO be quite heartless; but he
grnned 10 breadth that alarmed ME
for his beauty. and said in voice
overladen with mirth: Dearest, she's
boyi'
| gaSped forth that did not believe
him; aud the nurse said. For shame.
Mr.. Thayer! But. by the way my
heart was gliding down toward the
foot-board. knew that Rex had been
candid-brutally so.
1t was then | vowed l would not
name Baby! And Rex said. indeed.
We had done our duty in culling boys
names from Webster's Unabridged,
and he sympalhized in my decision.
No one believed that we intended to
keep to it. and give Baby no name.
And mamma and Mother
Thayer said it was outrageous; but
Baby grew TO be a year old. aud then
two. before our irate relatives settled
down to anything like acquiescence in
permitting US TO manage our own in
s,iiutions!
In the blue toggery he was arrayed.
and his yellow curls. parted in the
middle, hung with a pretty girlish reg
! ularity from underneath the narrow
blue suood. His white frocks were
covered with tlounces OF embroidery.
and sashes with long fringed ends
| adorned his afternoon costume. And
the dear little poke bonnet he wore
when he was three. with baby. blue