“All right, Peggy,” he said, holding the toe of her shoe affectionately. “I’m ready. Katrina for the princess in the Gray Owl story, Alice for my mother and for Peggy, and Ruth for you;” he turned toward Miss Ruth with one of his comical little bows.
The girls clapped their hands and Ruth Warren bowed in return to Ben as she said: “Now, Alice next. We will go from the youngest on.”
“I will name my three Love and Hope and Thankful.” Alice spoke in a low tone and moved a little nearer to Ben.
But the Club was listening so closely that every one heard. “What funny names!” was Betty’s comment, as Miss Ruth wrote them down.
“Mamma has told me stories about old, old ladies she knew of with those names,” Alice explained.
“Are they all right names?” she asked anxiously, turning her large blue eyes upon Ruth Warren.
“Yes, dear, they are good, old-fashioned names, and they go well with the old lady and the old doll we have just been talking about. What are your names, Betty?”
“Rose and Rosamond and Julia,” Betty answered quickly, her mind being all made up.
“Good.” Ruth Warren had these down in a half-moment. “And now Elsa?”
Elsa named her list with a little pause between each name: “Phœbe,—for Miss Dean. Agnes,—for the Agnes in ‘David Copperfield’”—Elsa’s first grown-up book had made a great impression upon her: “Ruth,—for you.” The child looked very lovingly from under her long dark lashes at Miss Ruth.