le darling if I couldn't stand a little teasing. Jerome
didn't mean anything by it and was sorry as soon as he had said it. He
came to me afterwards and told me so, and then I was doubly glad I had
kept still. But it was really the baby who made me. I even forgot Mrs.
Vane's rule of counting ten."

"It will be easier to remember the next time," Miss Brooks told her,
feeling devoutly thankful that the day had not been marred by a display
of that fierce, uncontrollable temper, and in her gratitude she heaped
Tabitha's plate with sandwiches and all the other good things.

"Now the baby must have his nap," said Mrs. McKittrick when the last
crumb of cake had disappeared and the last drop of lemonade vanished.
"I'm going to lay him under the wagons where it is coolest, and you
children play down there by that other clump of trees, or else he won't
sleep a wink."

"We're going to tell stories and listen to Mr. Carson's talking machine
for awhile," volunteered Susie, "so we won't make much noise. Come on,
ma, baby will be all right there."

The mother made the tiny boy comfortable in a shady nook and then joined
the group of children gathered under the cottonwoods a little further
down the river, laughing over the queer songs the machine was grinding
out; and in this exciting sport all thought of the baby was swallowed
up, except by Tabitha, who was still busily engaged in fitting together
all the possible and impossible names she had ever heard, in the hope of
finding some combination which would suit the beautiful boy and please
his adoring family.

"Rosslyn Lyle--no, that won't do; it is too hard to pronounce. Rosslyn
Leander--that is almost as bad. Rosslyn simply won't go with any name
beginning with 'L.' Rosslyn Thomas so he will be named after Tom; but
then probably Mrs. McKittrick doesn't like Thomas for a name. Few people
do, though I think it is rather pretty when it belongs to someone else
but a Catt. Rosslyn Brooks after teacher. Why didn't I think of that
before! Mrs. McKittrick thinks Miss Brooks is the loveliest teacher she
ever knew; I'm sure she would like the Brooks part of it, and I don't
see how anyone can help liking the name of Rosslyn. It isn't as grand
sounding as Dionysius, but it is prettier for a baby. Two names are so
short, though; and anyway Carrie thinks Mrs. McKittrick would like part
of it to be Vane after the doctor. Mr. McKittrick works in the Silver
Legion Mines, so I suppose he wouldn't