h, he is one of the sun children, loved of the high gods," says she,
rollin' her eyes. "He comes to you wearing the tints of dawn and
trailing clouds of glory. You remember how Wordsworth puts it?"
As she fires this straight at me, I has to say something.
"Does he?" I asks.
"I am always impressed," she gurgles on, "by the calm serenity in the
eyes of these little ones. It is as if they----"
But just then Snoodlekins begins screwin' up his face. He's never been
mauled around by a lady poetess before, or maybe it was just because
there was so much of her. Anyway, he tears loose with a fine large howl
and the serenity stuff is all off. It takes Vee four or five minutes to
soothe him.
Meanwhile Miss Leroy gets around to statin' the real reason why we're
bein' honored.
"I understand," says she, "that you have not as yet chosen a name for
him. So I am going to help you. I adore it. I have always wanted to name
a baby, and I've never been allowed. Think of that! My brother has five
children, too; but he would not listen to any of my suggestions.
"So I am aunt to a Walter who should have been called Clifford, and a
Margaret whom I wanted to name Beryl, and so on. Even my laundress
preferred to select names for her twins from some she had seen on a
circus poster rather than let me do it for her.
"But I am sure you are rational young people, and recognize that I have
some natural talent in that direction. Names! Why, I have made a study
of them. I must, you see, in my writing. And this dear little fellow
deserves something fitting. Now let me see. Ah, I have it! He shall be
Cedric--after Cedric the Red, you know."
Accordin' to her, it was all settled. She heaves herself up off the
davenport, straightens her hat, and prepares to leave, smilin'
satisfied, like an expert who's been called in and has finished the job.
"We--we will consider Cedric," says Vee. "Thank you so much."
"Oh, not at all," says Amelia. "Of course, if I should happen to think
of anything better within the next few days I will let you know at
once." And out she floats.
Vee gazes after her and sighs.
"I suppose Cedric is rather a good name," says she, "but somehow I don't
feel like using one that a stranger has picked out for us. Do you,
Torchy?"
"You've said it," says I. "I'd sooner let her buy my neckties, or tell
me how I should have my eggs cooked for breakfast."
"And yet," says Vee, "unless we can think of something better---
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