The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1920-01-29
NAMING BABY
BY MARY LOUISE BUzzELL
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le' by the Mcclure Newspaper syndicate)
John Merrill and his wife, Lena. and
/ me TWO nearest in-laWs, sat in solemn
conciaye in the pleasant living room
OF the Merrill home.
The occasion was an important one,
Delng that of choosing a name for the
recently arrived heir. At first thought
II might seem a very simple matter to
select a name for the small bit of hui
mainly lying in the white crib stand
ing on the rug; but only those having
Deen through the ordeal of finding a
name pleasing to a perfectly new ia
ther and mother-not to mention two
grandmotherS of quite opposite ideas
on the subject-cOuld possibly under
stand the difficulties of the situation.
SO the young mother was on the
verge of tears, and her husband was
on the point of making unseemly re-
marks to the two grandmothers-be-
cause of their persistence in advocat-
ing their own individual choice of a
name for their helpless grandson.
Grandmother Griffith favored Adon-
IRAN, but Grandmother Merrill had
come out strong for Joash, as being an
old family name
And better man than your great
grandfather, JOash Merrill, never trod
shoe-leather, John" she declared with
some vehemence, as she pointed a
convincing finger at her son. HE was
always first and foremost in all good
work in his native town, and l should
be proud to have your son bear the
same name. How does it strike your"
Evidently it did not meet with much
fayor-for her son gave a prolonged
| whistle, and Grandmother Griffith an
equally long sniff; while her daughter
smothered an exclamation of dismay
when her husband kicked her foot I'M
der the table. Grandmother Merrill
was quick to sense the antagonistic
attitude of her companions and leaned
back in her chair in dignifed silence,
after uttering a CURLY abused:
"Oh, of course, 1 shouldn't wish to
NAN'''NN a. bil III AllC NIlOICC VI u udllc
for my own grandson, though it does
seem as if"
She stopped short at the perfectly
audible "Joash" that issued from the
pursed7up lips Of the other grand
mother-whO evidently felt that the
baby was as much her grandson as he
was Selma Merrill's, and she didn't
intend to he ignored.
The uncomfortable silence that fol-
lowed in the wake of that remark was
broken by CHEEKY whistle outside,
and the sudden entrance of Tom Arm
strong, a lifelong chum of John Mer-
rtll. He had just returned from over
seas, where he had won both praise
and medals for his bravery under fire.
He received a warm welcome from all,
and soon everyone was so deeply in
terested in his enthusiastic account of
his experiences lover there" that even
the new baby was forgotten for the
time being.
"Of course you couldn't go with so
many dependent on you, John,' he
said, 'but / wish you could have seen
our boys in action! Why" he exulted,
"it was perfectly wonderful.
"And then to see the way they tried
to help each other-always praising
the other fellow, without a trace of
jealousy" Here Grandmother Merrill
shot a shame-faced glance at Grand
Isr;H "a.
a sickly smile of understanding as the
young man went on: Il never met
single chap but who was ready to give
comrade credit for every brave act
while he belittled everything he had
himself done.
And the 0fficers-well don't talk
They were more like big brothers to
their men than anything else, and
their wasn't a man under either Ed
wards or Logan but would have gone
through any danger for them. And if
| ever have a son"
Lena Merrill Interrupted him by
springing TO her feet and clapping her
hands, as she cried:
why dlOnt we MINK or It ourselves,
John? Logan Edwards Merrill-that
is the baby's name. You haven't seen
the baby, Tom. Come herew and she
led the way to the white crib. And
the grandmothers followed, nodding
pleased approval, and so did the young
father and likewise Tom Armstrong,
and so in the twinkling of an eye, as
it were, the heir to the house of Mer.
rill was named-and without a dissent
ing voice from the in-laws. And more
over, Tom Armstrong received a vote
of thanks for cutting the Gordian
knot and Logan Edwards Merrill slept !
blissfully on. quite oblivious to the |
honor bestowed upon him.
But after the rest were again seated |
two white heads bent adoringly over
the small occupant of the crib, and |
presently Grandmother Griffith MUIR
INJURED: "That's a fine outstanding |
name, call it, and hope he'll live up |
to it. 1t was just petty jealousy, the |
kind the boys over there didn't have" |
And Grandmothar Marril1 wbisnarod |