El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-09-03

n a AIRY FLETCHER'S little son was
) M born one morning in early April
I ~ When the young mother awoks
/ from the ether sleep and heard the
) babys cry, she smiled wanly, then a
( frightened look crossed her face The
village nurse, bending over her. mo-
toned to the doctor to step nearer
the bed. She feared that the patients
mind was not quite clear, else why
should she look alarmed and her. child
safe and WellZ
What is the matter, Mrs Fletcher"
the doctor asked gently
Is my baby girlE queried Mary
anxiOusly.
why, no." replied the doctor. with
a smile, you have a splendid boy. Why
did you think ii was a girI?"
Because it cried so piteOusly." she
whispered I do not want my child to
be a girl"
Perhaps the physician, seeing daily
AS even a country physician must
some of the tragedies of life, under
stood the feeling that prompted the
young mothers question, for he spoke
kindly and reassurlngly.
''Weu, WeIl.' he sOOthed, you wanted
a boy and you have one As soon as
you have seen him. he shall be Ialu
here by you and then you must try TO
Sleep
When at last Mary fell asleep it was
with her treasure close beside her and
her head turned toward the tiny mite
as if listening for the faintest motion
from the flannels in which it was
swathed- She was glad that the doctor
and nurse did not allow her te see any
one Just now She wanted to lie still
and try TO appreciate that hereafter her
life need not be solitary and lonely.
fer she had her child who would be
with her until he was a grown man
such a man as her father had been
She would pray daily that he might
grow like him. With the thought
came the determination to call him
o faf7er'e
could not object to granting her this
favor just now But she would say
nothing about it yet for she was tired.
So weak was the young mother that
Mrs DanfOrth and Bert were not al
lowed to go into her room until towards
the close Of the day on which the baby
was born Then the twO-father and
grandmOthe r-came into the quiet cham
per In his soul Bert resented the fact
that he was not given precedence above
his mOtherinlaw at this time, yet he
did not mention this grievance, for the
doctor had warned him that Mary must
not be agitated- He looked curiOusEy
at his small son as the nurse displayed
him proudly
tIer"
Then he kissed his wife and. as she
did not speak. stood about aWkardly
for moment and tiDtOed from the
room, his creak king boots refusing to be
slenced. Mrs. DanfOrth kissed the
baby. then kissed Mary, and, with her
handkerchief to her eyes, erept away
But her tears were those Of gratitude
The baby was week old before
Mary felt strong enough to talk to
her husband Of the matter of the baby's
name strange TO say. Bert himself
had not asked what his wife wished 4,
cali her SON. Her mother had inquired
what name the darling was to have
and Mary replied tremuIousIy- There
IS only one name want TO call him bv
mother, and that is the dearest name
IN the world TO you know I must
not talk about It until I an a little
stronger. But on the seventh dav after
the child's birth. Herbert Fletcher cane
home from business and learning from
his mOtherinlaw that Mary was feeling
bright and comfortable, went straight
to her room.
Wen he asked as he entered. and
how IS Fletcher Junior tOnight7s
Mary smiled family. He is doing
nicely, Bert" she answered DO yOs.
know she went on after q pa1R
thar you and have never said a word
about what we are going to call hirn2
Yet 1 know we have both thought OF
of course We have" laughed Ber
good naturedly. ITO my way of think
ing there IS only one name to call your
Mary drew a sigh OF relief. ooh.
1 am so glad that you think 50 tooP'
she said She was so certain that her
hopes and expectations were to be
reallzed Ihat she mistOOk her husbands
smile OF satisfaction for a glow Of
sfatlt1cation at her pleasure She held
out her hand to him impulsively.
on. Bert" she exclaimed, It WA
afraid that you would not want him
called Dy that name-the dearest in
the world to mel Thank you dearrs
quick tears sprang to her eyes and
she closed her lids to hide them. When
she lifted them her husband was look
ng at her in perplexity.
why, Mamie" he said, 7 didn't sun
pose you cared so much for nv name
IS JnaL- And / don't see why Won
we're afraid I'd object to having the
Nld named for me Every man ought to
AVE his Oldest son named for him
me woman paled suddenly and sba
,augnt her breath with panied sur
OH she gasped. Il thouqb+ vo,,
meant you would name the boy after-
-fter-fatheri%
It was evident that this idea haa
leFer occurred to Fletcher, for his
aW g.,, cropped and he flushed crimson.
W ell III be 0urnedP' he Calculated
voting his wife's paIlor he Checked
ne words that rose to his Hps But he
ct his jaw stubbornIy.
His names Herbert Fletcher he
aid sOlemnly. That's settled He
ught to be a Junior and hes zoi19
o be- You can call him Bertie' for
hort
Mary did not tell him that wb,1a
ne disiilCed the name of BERT So
islil1ed still more heartily thai coe-9(7
len with an lie tackled on II Wbe,
I'd her hand.
Never mind" he laughed you can
an the next one for your father n
on want to- ThereI be lots nOrs
ope, 10 pick and choose names for
AGAIN the wife closed her ewes Sba
II that If her life depended uDon fr
he could not reply.
ApTWEH nATOE