The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1905-12-07
"TOO FANCY"
Tho English Grandmother Did Not
Like the Girls Name.

The English Grandmother DID MOI
Like the Girls Name.
Charles Lamb, most devoted OF
brothers, once informed Mrs. Cowden
Clarke that he was in the habit of call.
ing his sister marie, when we are
alone together, Mary when we are with
friends, and Moll before the servants"
1t is easy to guess that this whimsi
cal reversal of what would have been
the usual graduation in dignity was an.
nounced to counteract some mild pro
test Of tho gentle Mary at being re-.
duced to "Molr" under any circum.
stances. Even Molly or Polly would
scarcely have fitted her quiet, old-fash.
ioned, charming personality-but Moll,
No wonder the genial Charles took de-.
light in such triumphantly complete
misfit.
No small matter is more annoying
to a large number Of people than an
error in their names, or any uninvited
liberty In their use. That this has al.
ways been the case many centuries ac.
emulation Of jokes upon the theme
bears witness; but 1t is especially so
to-day when, in welcome reaction
from the public and general use Of
nicknames and pet forms-the undig.
nified reign Of "Mame' and "F'lossie,"
"Millie" and "Margie'--even the small.
est tots are addressed at full length
by the statellest of long names. So II
is easy to 'sympathize with the feel.
ings of certain Annabel, whose de.
lightful English grandmother has been
spending the summer with her Amerl.
can grandchildren.
She is fine, bright, spirited old lady,
with white curls putting out under the
quaintest Of caps, black eyes swapping
alertly behind large glasses, and the
softest and sweetest of English voices
but a voice, alas! with not an h In its
vocabulary that Is not misplaced.
Annabel is 16, and sensitive in her
dignity. She Is heartily fond of her
grandmother, and too sensible to mind
the absence Of his in her ordinary
speech; but she has been unable to
reconcile herself to their effect upon
her own pretty name, which in con-
junction with the determined old lady's
announced opinion that it was "too
fancy to use the ole Of hevery day."
descended suddenly from romantic An.
mabel to plain Hannah, name she has
always particularly disliked.
"My grandfather Hannah's air
grows on her 'ead as 'andsome as hever
see," was compliment which
brought no joy. "My Hannah as heyes
like hopals, they're that changeable."
"My Hannah as an cart and an 'ead
that do the family credit" "Hameri-
can or Henglish. my Hannah's rs good
grandfather as I'd hask." She has
felt SO mean not to be pleased when
the dear old lady has proudly pro-
claimed such opinions to visitors.
But recently relief arrived uncx.
pectedly. A maid came into service
In the household whose name was real
ly Hannah, and the old lady soon found
the ensuing confusion troublesome.
"Hannabel's too fancy, and Hannah
fetches in the 'ousmaid," she announc-
ed, TRANQUILITY, at breakfast the other
morning. Hannah, 'ereafter I'll call
you Bell"
20 grandfather, do" cried Annabel,
fevently.
"I'm 'appy to find you Railways ham
liable about trifies," rejoined the grand
mother, with approval. TITS a hexcel-
lent trait Hannah--I mean to say
Bell"