The Corner House Girls Growing Up: What Happened First, What Came Next. And How It EndedHill, Grace Brooks
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The Corner House Girls Growing Up: What Happened First, What Came Next. And How It Ended
Hill, Grace Brooks
First loves -- Juvenile fiction; Mystery and detective stories; Sisters -- Juvenile fiction
Neale suggested that a ballot-box be arranged and that everybody write
his suggestions upon slips of paper and deposit them in the box. Then
Dot might be allowed to put in her hand, mix up the slips, and draw one.
That name must be the sailor-baby's cognomen.
But there was too great a hazard in this to attract the smallest Corner
House girl; for Aunt Sarah had already gravely suggested Zerubbabel.
"And suppose," Dot whispered, "she should write that on a paper (do you
s'pose such an ugly name can be spelled!) and I should draw that out
first thing! Why, a name like that would--would make an invalid of the
poor child all his life!"
Therefore when, on Tuesday, the Corner House girls and their guests went
for a ride in the automobile, the momentous decision regarding the new
baby's name was still to be made.
There was no room for Sammy in the car on this occasion, and he was left
behind to seek his own amusement with the aerial tramway. And as matters
turned out he certainly was busy with that arrangement before the
automobile party returned.
However, even Tess forgot all things aerial in the enjoyment of the
ride. The car ran smoothly, the day was fine, and not even a "cluck hen"
crossed their path. So there was not the smallest thing to mar their
pleasure.
Luke rode in front with Neale; and the three older girls were so much
interested in their own chatter that they scarcely thought of Tess and
Dot. But they, too, were exceedingly busy with their particular affairs.
What interested them most of all through the drive was the naming of the
sailor-baby. Dot sat with the Alice-doll in her arms, of course; but the
new doll was hugged up very close to her side upon the seat.
"He is really a very pretty doll for a boy doll," Tess observed. "You
really should have a very pretty name for him."
"I know," agreed the anxious mother. "But all the nice names seem to
have been used up. Wha--what do you think of 'Brandywine,' Tessie?"
"Goodness! The name of that avenue we just passed? Why, Dot!" ejaculated
the horrified older sister. "That's a _nawful_ name! And we're
temp'rance."
"Yes. It is kind of liquorish, I s'pose," admitted Dot. "But it sounds
different. Tom, and Edgar, and Wilfred, and Feodor, and St. John, and
Clarence, and Montmorency, and Peter, and Henry, and Vanscombe, and
Michael, and all those others, have been used over and over again in
naming babies," Dot said with seriousness. "You know we've heard of
somebody, or know somebody, named by all of those names. Oh, Tess!" she
ejaculated suddenly, "look there!"
The automobile party were just passing Mr. Stout's big tobacco barn. One
leaf of the main door was open and hooked back and Dot was pointing
eagerly to some large black letters painted upon the inside of this
door.
"What a pretty name that is!" she whispered to Tess, excitedly.
"'Nosmo'! Did you ever hear of it before?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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