r seen now. Those desiring to see the
parson had to seek him in the Vicarage of the mother parish.

Mrs. Verstage accordingly had to go with her boy to Witley.

"If the boy gave a name," said the parson.

"He did, your Reverence, and such a name."

"What is it?"

"Mehetabel."

"Wherever did you pick up that name?" asked the Vicar, turning to
the boy.

"Please, sir, we was doin' the Dooks of Edom in Sunday-school.
We'd already learned David's mighty men, and could run 'em off
like one o'clock, and--I don't know how it was, sir, but the name
slipped out o' my mouth wi'out a thought. You see, sir, we had so
many verses to say for next Sunday, and I had some of the Dooks of
Edom to repeat."

"Oh! So you gave it the name of one of the Dukes."

"Please, sir, no. Mehetabel was the wife of one, she was married
to his Grace, Dook Hadar."

"Oh, Hadar! to be sure, quite so; quite so! Very good boy, glad
you are so well primed in all things necessary to salvation."

"And is the child to be called Mehetabel?" asked the woman.

"That depends," said the Vicar. "How did the boy perform the
sacred function?"

"Please, sir," said Iver, "I did it as your Honor does, after the
second lesson on Sunday afternoon, and the churching."

"He hadn't no surplice on," argued the mother.

"You had a bowl of pure water?" asked the parson.

"Yes, sir, rain water. I caught it out of the spout."

"And the words used?"

"The same as you say, sir; exactly."

The parson rubbed his chin.

"Was it done in thoughtlessness--in irreverent folly?"

"Oh, no, sir! I did it in sober earnest. I thought the child was
going to die."

"Of course," said the Vicar, "lay baptism is valid, even if
administered by a Dissenter; but--it is very unusual, very much so."

"I didn't do all that about the cross," observed Iver, "because the
cat jumped and upset the bowl."

"Of course, of course. That belongs to the reception into the
church, and you couldn't do that as it was--"

"In Bideabout's basin," said Iver.

"You are certain the water touched the child?"

"Soused her," responded the hostess. "She caught a tremendous
cold out o' it, and has been runnin' at the nose ever since."

"I think the very best thing we can do," said the Vicar, "is that
I should baptize the child conditionally, in church,--conditionally
mind."

"And call her by another name?" asked the woman.

"I do not think I can do that."

"It's a terrible mouthful," obser