The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1910-01-07
THE
NAMESAKE

Jack, you know wanted him Gale,
Just Henry Arnold, after your father
and mine" regretfully sighed The
mother OF the baby as she laid down
the letter her husband had given her
10 read what a shame 10 saddle an
Innocent child, who can't defend him
self with such name as Ebenezerl' h
"Yes, but when you think Of the
goods that come with Ebenezer II
seems improvident to spurn the offer
OF Uncle Eb" he replied. 'If our son
is At all like his daddy he'll be glad
to get those dollars Uncle Eb men
tions so casually"
Well, I suppose he'll have to be
Ebenezer Henry Arnold Hammond,
for Of course your Uncle Eb viii want
his name to be first, but ! shall al
ways call the baby Henry"
Wen call him anything you say.
but name him Ebenezer we must.
Don't be downhearted about IT, dear.
Ebenezer already begins to sound
quite distinguished as reflect upon
the glory Of the bank deposit that goes
with IT,"
That evening when the father stole
into his wife's room he found his wife
gazing at the baby with countenancc
OF smiles and tears.
Jack" she said, q want to intro
duce you to Ebenezer Nathaniel Henry
Arnold Hammond"
"Ebenezer Nathaniel What com.
bination why Nathaniel?"
why you haven't forgotten Uncle
Than"
81 never associated Than with Ma
thaniel.g
i've always been Uncle Than's fav.
orite niece. and when he called up on
the long-distance to-day and asked
what the baby's name was to be, as
he wanted TO know on account of the
alteration in his win made necessary
by the new member of the family, of
course | couldn't help asking him II
baby could be his namesake.g
"Ebenezer Nathaniel, repeated the
dazed father
Il can hardly keep from crying when
think OF IT. ! hope he will be for
giving when he grows up, and will try
to realize that we did 1t for the best.
You know Uncle Than's free to leave
his money any way he chooses. al
most wish, though, that we didn't
have any rich relatives"
We'll, ! suppose we'd better take
the goods the gods provide, said Jack.
Here's a lsster found in the hall as
! came in. It's from Grandmother
Hammond. Let's see what she has to
say about her greatgrandchild. Here.
what's this2" A pink slip OF paper
hutterrd out as he opened the letter.
"a christening present How do YOU
feel Sue? Could you stand a few
more names?"
What, more OF them?" she cried, /
aghast
!" I'm a very proud old woman,
writes granny IT is with the great
est pleasure that | make out my first
check for John Henry the fourth, for.
Of course. the great grandson Of my
dear husband will bear his name. as
do his son and grandson"
"Ebenezer Nathaniel John Henry
Arnold Hammond" burst forth the
young mother Why, Jack, it's i'm
Nothing appears to be impossible X
IN the naming line, dear our boy
will have as many names as a crown
prince"
Perhaps I'm foolish. but | want to
give up the christening party we had
planned couldn't bear to invite
people to hear us burden our child
with that awful list of names. When
I'm strong enough to travel let's take
baby and the nurse and go up into the
country where ! lived when Y was a
title girl and have our old clergyman,
Mr. ST. John, baptizc him
Just as you say, dear" answered
lack.
a month later, when Jack, with the
1aby in his arms. stood with Sue BY
he baptismal font In the little country
,hurch he said in answer to the ques-
ion Of the old minister, "Ebenezer
Nathaniel joni Henry Arnold.
What's that? I'm a little hard OF
rearing" said the minister, as he took
he child from its father.
'Ebenezer Nathaniel John Henry
Arnold repeated Jack. bringing out
he last two words strongly in an en-
leavor to make himself heard above
he surprisingly lusty cry of the baby.
Smiling into the distorted little face.
he clergyman gently touched the
mall forehead and said, y name thee
Henry Arnold
A little later when the young par
ints found themselves alone with their
on Oh the church steps. they gazed al
isch other with astonished and de-
lighted eyes
We'll what do you think OF thatg"
sked Jack
Il think he is the dearest old min
ster in the world replied his wife.
But Sue. what about an those as-
cts that young Henry Arnold here
Iss gathered in on false pretenses ?"
"NNpll were mt IN hIafaa bno.,tee