. After lunch the children assembled in the sun parlor of the
Josephs' home, in full view of Mrs. Joseph who sat embroidering in the
library, the French door closed between them, so that she did not hear.

Nellie had secured the bottle of holy water, and, arrayed in her brother
Joe's long, black rain-coat, a towel about her neck for a stole, acted
as priest. Virginia, not to be left out of such an important affair,
consented to be godmother. In lieu of a prayer manual, Nellie used one
of Hannah's story books. She chose a verse, which, because she knew it
by heart, she could read exceptionally well:

"Little boy blue, come blow your horn,
The sheep are in the meadow,
And the cows are in the corn."

Then she poured a little of the holy water on Hannah's forehead (wet
hair might occasion unanswerable questions) and baptized her "Hannah
Agnes Ignatius Joseph."

Called upon for a response, the godmother recited very impressively the
Scientific Statement of Being as found in the Christian Science
text-book, and Hannah was pronounced a Gentile and a Catholic.

One thing more remained to be done. Hannah ran to her mother, cheeks
aglow. "Mama, may I trade my striped ball to Nellie for some beads?"

"Why of course, darling, if you wish."

The exchange was made, and some time was spent in mastering the use of
the rosary. All three of the children knew the "Our Father," though
there was some difference of opinion as to "debts" and "trespasses"
which is apt to hold in all mixed congregations. The "Hail Mary" proved
a bit difficult for Hannah, and she finally abandoned it. "I'll say,
'Hear, oh Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One,'" she said. "I
already know that, and a prayer is a prayer, isn't it?"

Nellie refilled the holy-water bottle from the kitchen hydrant, and
hurried home to replace it before her grandmother should awaken. Hannah
spent the next hour lying flat on her stomach printing letters,
appealing to Virginia from time to time for aid as to the spelling,
Virginia being a very superior speller.

Mrs. Joseph was busy with callers when Virginia went home, and Hannah
was left to her own devices. Suddenly she thought of one stone that had
been left unturned: there was her friend Mr. Jackson to whom the
Lawrences always appealed in time of stress. She knew the formula, she
knew his number, for on the list by the Lawrences' telephone, his name,
like Abou-ben-Adhem's, led all the rest. "Main 1234," it