The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1899-1900, 1899-03-29

simpsons heart was set upon Lily, the
name of former mistress of whom she
was very fond. "Lily's all right, nah"
said Arabella Maud, the eldest daugh-
ter. "But 'tain't enuff. All stylish
folks tack on two or three names"
"Ef she was boy l reckon we'd call
her Mckinley" put in Benjamin Harri-
son. Then, as bright thought struck
him: whats de name OBJ de presi-
ient's lady, Arabella Maud?"
"Idy," promptly answered that young
person, who was authority in her own
particular circle, even in matters per-
4aining to the white house. Slut, you
see, we've got an ray; 1dy Elizabeth"
Green Simpson, the head OF the fam
ly (whose name couldn't have been
more appropriately, sat smoking his
.oipe in the warmest corner of the
.himneys. No one ever thought of
consulting him about family matters.
"Do as yer nah says, chillens;" he'd say
sometimes with show of authority,
Use mo- 'portant mattahs to tend to-"
though what they were no one everdis-
covered. Therefore, an explosion OF
chimney. No one ever thought of
.caused greater CONSERVATION than he
did when, taking his pipe out of his
mouth, he said: "Name the kid Eastah
Lily"
For moment there was silence; then
his better half rolled her eyes in his
direction till nothing but the whites
were visible, and said, with grin:
4'Whah'd yer get such an ideah ia yer
pate, ole man?"
"Cause to-day's Eastah, to be suah,"
answered Green, chuckling at his own
brightness.
Strange to say, all were favorably i'm
rressed. sounds like 'ristocratic white
folks" said Arabella Maud,
Grover Cleveland had gone over to
the clothes basket where little No. 7
was peacefully sleeping, and stood gaz-
ing at her for a few moments. Then he
said, in deep bass voice, which | was
going to say came from his boots. only
he was barefooted: Lilies is white"
This seemed poser, but Arabella
Maud proved equal to the occasion.
"Yer granmah's named Rose" she said,
sharply, "and she's the blackest niggah
you ever seen. ] reckon there's black
roses and lilies, too, nowadays. I've
seen 'em in bunnits."
Grover was quenched, and the baby's
name was settled.
Poor little Easter Lily! 1t wasn't
long before they discovered that some
thing was the matter with her sight.
''She cant see the leastest thing" COM
plained Abraham Lincoln, who was try
ing to amuse her one day. II done
b'lieve she's blind as bat" And so it
proved.
A happier, healthier little darky
never lived, and with six brothers and
sisters to see for her, she didn't miss her
eyes for awhile. But it was a great
grief to Mrs. Simpson Her chief COM
fort was in the child's name. "Eastah
Lily's so sort o. religious like" she'd
say. "'Pears like it's jest the name for
a pore blind lamb"
Mrs. Simpson was a devout member
of the Zion Baptist church" and Eas-
ter Lily was very fond of going with her
and listening 10 the singing. l think
in spite OF Mrs. Simpsons sorrow over
the child's misfortune, she felt that it
somehow conferred a certain distinc-
ton upon her TO be the mother OF a
blind child, and she took particular
pride in leading Easter Lily up the aisle,
and placing her on the seat beside her,
where with her little fat legs stuck
straight out she would sit, quiet as a
mouse, continually rolling her eyes,
precisely as II she could see, and join
Ing in the singing with her shrill. child
ish treble. And she caught words here
and there in "Brudder Smallwood's dis
courses which she remembered, and
often fred unexpected questions at her
mother, much to the poor woman's dis
,comfitaire.
''Who was ii dat opened blind follkses'
eyes2n she asked suddenly one Monday
morning.
Ms. afnSson took her steaming arms