Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1891-09-25
" BABY"

DADI.
If there hadn't been Reggy and Psyche
and Pat, wouldn't have minded. l
always loved boys from the time 1 was
tied into my first pinafore till the day l
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 mel
devoted myself to his way Of thinking.
That is, till Reggy came.
I did love Reggy. And Rex said l
might-that was really only natural; but
that, if [ would name him Reginald, T
must, at any rate, find another dimlnu-
tive 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 l settled it beautifully, as you
see. If [ adored Reggy, I worshlped
Rex; and SO everything was obliged to go
smoothly.
1t was when my next baby came into
the household that 1 felt sorry had
obeyed Rex so Loyalty, and ceased to have
that ardent affection for boys which was
30 prominent characteristic of my
earlier years. I felt distinct thrill
of disappointment when they told me
that this mite was a boy, and was
amazed to find how completely a love
for femininity had taken possession of
my heart.
But named him Cyrus, for my father,
and called him Psyche-in spirit of
revenge.
And then Pat came! Rex wiped away
my tears, and said it was a shame; but
what sturdy little rascal ne was, to be
sure, and what very beautiful pink his
toes were-had noticed? And we would
call him Patrick for Uncle Pat, and I
should call him Patricia, and do him I'D
in blue ribbons-indeed / should!
And | thought, if Rex could bear it,
why, could, too. So I rallied to the
situation.
We had a happy little home-just a
bit Of house in the midst of a big
patch of garden, where honeysuckles
climbed up the lattices, and tulips
bloomed all the way from the gate to the
door when the spring came.
Rex was lawyer, with a 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, and we
had quite forgotten our sorrow that
Psyche and Patricia were not more APP
propriate names for the dear little lads,
when an incident occurred.
The 'incident" was-baby.
I had somehow always thought Of
Baby as a girl! It had never entered my
mind at all about any other possibility.
With all my experience, too! l don't
wonder you think 1 was stupid.
But l crotched ssher" diminutive
sacques in palest of blues, and cher"
crib-blanket blue with daisies starred
over it. In short, the daintiest CT azure
appointment awaited cher" coming
Reggy was fourteen then, and went
daily to the Boston Latin school, and
Psyche was twelve and Pat over seven !;
so, you see, my sorrow at having to array
them in boyish attire and my ponderous
signs as one by one they stepped into
knickerbockers, were not too vivid in
my memory. But it all came back to me
when I became acquainted with Baby.
"Rex," I asked eagerly, sis she
pretty?"
twas the only time I ever knew him
to be quite heartless, but he grinned to
a breadth that alarmed me for his beauty,
and said in a voice overladen with mirth !:
''Dearest, snes boyi"
l gasped forth that did not believe
him; and 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 I would not
name baby. And Rex said, indeed we
had done our duty in culling boys names
from Webster's Unabridged, and he
sympathized in my decision.
No one believed that we intended to
keep to it and give baby no name. And