The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1926-07-15
WHATS IN A NAME?"

| new family had moved into the darktown neigh
borhood of The Antioch African Baptist Church. South
and Doc Bloom the pastor called at the house to well
them TO the community and to their atten-
dance church and Sunday School There was flock
of children playing about the yard Doc entered and
he viewed them with relish prospective new pupils
"whuts yo' name, Ill gall" he said to the nearest,
patting her her kinky head,
'Dey calls me Exy fer short" replied the little
blotch of blackness.
"Exy," repeated Doc in a puzzled tone, Oats a
funny name. Whar at did yo' git dat name?'
Just then the nanny appeared on the porch and
after greetings she answered Docs question "Exy is
ies' nickname fer er real she got fine name;
we got hit outen medicine book de full name is
Eezemar
Oats gram" replied Doc knowing the mean
ing of the word. "An whut's de names o de res de
chillun?"
Come hyah chun an meet de pahson. Dis is
PEARL she said the first up. I'VE named
er Pearl cause she's got SIGH white teefs
"An' dis is named Ruby cause she's got SIGH
red lips An dis is named Damont cause she's
got SIGH shiny eyes De mex is named Onyx, cause
Here Doc interrupted, Oats a good dear fer
names" And he chucked he added "An' All reekons
yo named dis Onyx cause she's got SIGH black
skin"
"Nawsuh,' corrected Nanny. 1--WE named er Onyx
cause wen She she wuz unexpected"
Doc laughed heartily at this, and went on tc
say that thought it would be fine to have all these
names enrolled in Sunday School classes
"But dat amt all O. EN-" replied Nanny, and
| she raised her voice, COME HYAH, GAWGE! MAG
NoLIA! cry! PENNY! TANSEY! 70 CHILLUN
COME HYATT DE PREACHER is HYAH TER SEE
Yo'."
Presently they came trooping from every direction
"Dis is Gawge Washn'ton, she said indicating grmy
| youngster.
| Doc shook hands with him soberly, Oats fine
name yo got" he said. All hopes yo' is good boy
ez Gawge Washin'ton wuz" he added.
The boy rolled his eyes at Doc "Ah reckons All is
ez good Gawge Washinton Cause dats who All is
he replied with tone of resentment.
Here Nanny again claimed his attention. "An
dis is Magnolia" She indicated high yaller gaf whC
stood midy digging her bare toes into the earth 1--WE
named er Magnolia cause she's got dat light magnolia
| flower tint ter 'er skin"
| can dis is Ery-dat's a nickname fer Erysipelas
dats anudder name git frum de medicine book An
dis chile is Tansey; name er Tansey cause shei
so healthy; yo' know Tansey is medicine whut'
healthy fer folks.
| hyah PENNY Doan be bashful! Meet de preacher! 70
know, Pahson, Penny short fer Pennyroyl All named
| i'm dat cause wen All carryin i'm All hab te
drink lots o. Pennyroy1 tea an All fggers dat Penny
| royI tea done sabed nah life dats wy Abs prou
| o. Penny"
| Doc had about out of comments to make whe
each child presented he stood bowling and grin
ming, shaking hands and pattng each one on the tn
head as a gesture of affection. "Yo' sho is got fin
family" he complimented Nanny. "An we want
ev'y one o. em in Sunday School. Wild all yo chiu
dere we kin start anudder class. Les see! OATS max
'eben yo got amt hit?"
| "Nawsuh! 'Tan't leben" Nanny replied "A
thinks hits nine" And she turned and started to cour
them But of them had escaped. Nov lemm
see" she unused, chewing a fngerna she cogitate
IHy I'D iag aha he Cnf
1eben chlun dey yeah dat we did
hab none OATS right Hits ten-ten chillun ives got
Oats fine" Doc replied "Yo' sho' is ibin up tie
de Bible whar hit say 'Replenish de yearth an mu
II tiply.' Yo may not be no mathematician but "
sho knows how ter muterply an add"